More on Agent O to come in our discussion of all things basketball with True Hoop. Worry not, sports fans.

Henry Abbott started the extremely popular basketball blog "True Hoop" in May of 2005. Less than two years later, the posts and comments together total nearly three million words, as TrueHoop was scooped up by ESPN where Abbott is now a senior writer.

We chatted with TrueHoop* about how he goes through thousands of basketball-related articles a day, talked about the treadmill Gilbert Arenas bought for his dog and explored Abbott's growing rivalry with the Timberwolves Dance Team.
*Obviously, we mean Henry when we say TrueHoop in this context. Didn't need to explain this, did I...

MT: Thanks for being here, Henry. Before all of this, you were a journalist for several different publications and spent a lot of time on the air as a radio reporter and contributor. How did you become basketball's preeminent blogger? (There's a nice meaty softball to get you started.)
Truehoop: Don't ever let anyone tell you steroids can't help your career. No, I'm kidding. I was an also-ran NBA journalist, freelancing for HOOP and Inside Stuff, and occasionally scoring an assignment for Men's Journal or something. My wife and I also did marketing writing to pay the bills (brochures, ads, and the like). But I always had ten thousand ideas about basketball stories I wanted to do every month, and the magazine only had room for, like, one a month. Then my friend Alex told me I had to start a blog. No choice, really. I had to do it. And I thought they were really geeky, but eventually I started reading them and realized I felt at home in the blogosphere. These were my people. I could do this. And it gave me a place to put those ten thousand ideas

MT: Didn't the steroids make it hard to type when your fingers got all big?
Truehoop: Special keyboard!

MT: What does the word "blogger" mean to you anyway?
Truehoop: Oh, it's an age old discussion at this point. It's about the tool. Blogging software to me has the newest posts at the top, some kind of intuitive archiving, linking in and out, RSS feeds, categories, and a few other bits and pieces. And I'm a big believer that bloggers should at least try to follow Rebecca Blood's rules for bloggers, which you can look up at RebeccaBlood.Net.

MT: Towards that end, do you feel like you have a responsibility to ESPN and to all the fans that log on to TrueHoop not to miss anything basketball-related, or do you view it more as an entertainment destination? Basically, how seriously do you take your job?
Truehoop: Well, I like to have fun, but the truth is that this is what I do for a living. It's ALL I do. It's how the world sees me. So I'm pretty freaking serious about making sure it's good. (I'm also aware that plenty of people want my job!). I miss plenty of stories, but I'm wicked steadfast to the idea that when I'm sitting in this chair, I need to be professional and dedicated, and trying my best to make TrueHoop as good as it can be every day. In other words, even though I'm totally unsupervised at my desk, I do not drink on the job -- except that one day when a friend dropped by with a case of Stella right before Christmas, but I only had two (or was it three?) and that was before I worked for ESPN.

MT: Stella, huh? Pretty good, I guess. Just a few more serious questions before we start talking about fun and ridiculous things like Agent 0. So how do you sift through all of the stories and reports in this arguably over-saturated sports reporting world?
Truehoop: I'm a big reader. I read every chance I get. At breakfast, on the blackberry on my walk to work, when I travel ... And I'll read just about anything. Books, magazines, newspapers ... but mostly RSS feeds of blogs and news sites. I at least glance at thousands of stories a day. What I'm looking for isn't so much news, as quality information. Those little conversation-piece nuggets that stick with you. The kinds of things I might feel compelled to tell my wife about when I get home. And I'm also just always looking for really good writing. If there's a really great, like Pulitzer-type article out there about basketball, I want to know about it every time.

MT: How do you see sites like ours at www.timberwolves.com, in which we cover the team, from the inside, for the team, in comparison to the more traditional forms of media like the newspaper and broadcast stations? It's just so much different even in the last few years...
Truehoop: Totally. To me the great thing is that teams are using their websites to give us some really interesting information in interesting ways. Everything used to be so stuffy and controlled on sites like these. They painted a picture of a world where players did nothing but read to children, and no one ever got arrested. I mean, come on! Did anyone believe that? But now the voice is getting a lot more real, and most sites have some blogging and podcasts, and video stuff. That is a promising trend. That said, some journalists predict these sites are an effort to steal audience from, and effectively neuter, independent journalism from the local papers and the like, who are having a rough go of it. Of course, it would not be a good thing in the long run for teams to control all of the information about the team, especially as almost all of those teams survive thanks to significant public support in the form of ticket sales, tax subsidies for stadiums, and the like. We need to make sure that the people asking question in the locker room are speaking for the fans.

MT: Fairly stated. There's definitely an achievable balance between the two extremes ... Maybe a future column for us? Last week, you linked to Mark Cuban's blog in which he describes his last fist fight. I think he's great for the NBA, but can you beat his face when Dallas is losing a tight game?
Truehoop: Mark Cuban is a tough nut to crack. I love that he is an outside the box thinker, and a little brashness can be refreshing, especially from the owner's box. But when I see his livid, profanity-laced tirades, I usually think to myself: what ever happened to Pat Croce?

MT: What did happen to Croce, anyways? But let's move on. What is the most ridiculous basketball story you've read this summer?
Truehoop: Most ridiculous basketball story. Hmm ... in June I saw (and linked to) some archival video of the 1977 Blazers. Great stuff. In one part of it, a player says that he keeps his shoes as long as he can, because after a while they learn their way around, and know where they should go.

My bad, TrueHoop. How could I doubt this cat?

MT: That's a good point. If aliens invaded earth, what NBA player would you send as the ambassador of the human race?
Truehoop: A year ago, I probably would have said Brandon Roy (I'm a Blazer fan). Etan Thomas is bucking for an ambassadorship, and I'm sure Shane Battier would love the job too. Derek Fisher, maybe ... But now? I'm going with Joakim Noah. He's famous for his wild look, but the man has a heart the size of Alaska, and his brain is just as big.

MT: I'd definitely send Battier, but I wouldn't send Noah unless I actually wanted to pick a fight.
Truehoop: Oh wow. That was not my experience at all. I spent 15 minutes one-on-one with him the day before the draft. Kind of blew my mind. Also, the really important thing to notice about him, and I credit this with making that Florida team so good: he was in charge of praising his teammates. Every time a TV camera was around it was "Al Horford" this and "Corey Brewer" that. Teams don't usually love each other like those guys did. They all deserve credit. But I think Noah was the ringleader of their selflessness.

MT: Interesting. Your opinion matters more here, because I only spoke to him for three minutes with several other media members around chiming in. So we'll give you this one. Corey Brewer is the man, by the way.
Truehoop: Agreed. If Portland didn't win the lottery, I planned to turn TrueHoop into a "Portland: Draft Corey Brewer" blog for a month or so.

MT: That would have been smart. He's hilarious, in addition to being a baller, and I'm planning on doing a weekly WebTV segment with him here. I might just call it the "Corey Brewer Show" and let him do whatever he wants.
Truehoop: Whoa, that sounds sweet.

The Corey Brewer Show will be coming to you on www.timberwolves.com. Respect.

MT: Hopefully you'll link it to TrueHoop. Like you did our dancers, who have something to say to you ... but I'll get to that in a second. First, I always ask this question in interviews because it's my favorite quote in the last few years: Steven Jackson said: “I make love to pressure." How do you feel about that?
Truehoop: Oh. Yes. That comment was really fantastic, wasn't it? My reaction: You go, Mr. Jackson. Now can I get my talking to from the dancers?

MT: Actually, in a weird coincidence, dance director Abby just walked by my cube. Seriously. She says: "I recommend coming in a pink tutu and a sports bra, Henry. Please curl your hair ... full makeup is also recommended."
Truehoop: She's so cruel! I haven't had hair since the 90s. Except on my arms.

MT: Natalie emailed me earlier and said: "Tell him I want to see him busting butt on the dance floor. I’m a tough judge, so he’d better stretch out first."
Truehoop: Is it just me, or do you get the feeling they would like me to make an idiot out of myself?

MT: Just you, man.
Truehoop: All right, then, I'll book the flight, and see if I can find a tutu in time.

MT: Excellent. There are some players that literally need to get their teeth pulled out before you get a decent answer. Some of your favorites?
HA: Worst interview in the NBA: Jason Kidd. The man is so boring his (then) wife even called him boring on camera when she had a TV gig and interviewed him.

Here's the freeze frame from the video that started the junk talking between TrueHoop, Abby (left) and Natalie (right).

MT: Wow. That's awesome. I still don't feel like I can say stuff like that on our site, but I'm glad you did. So, how terrific is Gilbert Arenas' blog? In his latest posting, he said that because Penny Hardaway - his favorite player growing up - is coming back, he's having all the teams he played for send him retro Penny jerseys. What would you say if you were New York's equipment manager and Agent 0 asked you for a jersey?
HA: That would all depend on how the team finances worked. If that wouldn't cut into my tutu budget, you betcha. The whole NBA works on the "stroke the superstar" social model. Everyone pays the king, in the hope the king might smile on you.

MT: I hope you didn't say you betcha as a knock on Minnesotans. Natalie and Abby are both from here ... But let's stick with Gilbert for a minute ... Did you know that he has a special treadmill for his dog?
Truehoop: Tell Natalie and Abby that to me "you betcha" is just an honest and good American saying. One that bright people everywhere should have at the ready. And if Natalie and Abby ran the world, Gilbert Arenas' dog would not have a treadmill. I would be on that treadmill. Not sure what I did to get on their doggie treadmill. But here I am, jogging.

MT: They just want to see you dance, that's all. Speaking of rhythm, who is the best basketball rapper, in your opinion?
HA: I'm a poor judge, but I can say this: Not Tony Parker. Honestly, I thought the Ron Artest album was one of the better in a bad group. I hear Chris Webber is supposed to be good, but I can't recall ever hearing any of his music. The Troy Hudson effort did not impress me.

MT: You just noted the absurd amount of stories you look at ... Is there one writer whose stuff you never miss?
Truehoop: There are lots of must-reads for me. A few off the top of my head: Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon-Journal, the Oregonlive's Blazer Blog, ClipperBlog, Basketbawful, and essentially every word of NBA on ESPN.com (including when Eric Neel gets into the act on Page 2).

MT: Have you interviewed Ryan Gomes before? He's destined for the All-NBA Interview team. Guaranteed.
Truehoop: No, I haven't. He was at my left elbow for a while in Las Vegas, after a Celtics game, but I was messing around trying to get online and was having all kinds of trouble. Kept thinking: if I can get this damn thing working I'll go talk to Ryan Gomes. Never got the thing working.

This picture speaks for itself.

MT: That's ridiculous. I also had trouble getting my wireless to work during the first Wolves' Summer League game in Vegas, and it was driving my insane. But Gomes is top three of all the guys I talked to this year, but Yao was my favorite. Alas, you've been all over the Tim Donaghy scandal on your blog. I was going to ask you about it, but I think I'm sick of it. Maybe a 30 words or less summary if you please?
Truehoop: You know what is occurring to me? No one gives a crap. Seriously. A ton of Donaghy blogging has not been good for the traffic numbers. I think it's important, so I'll keep it up, but it's not something people really care about.

MT: I for one don't read any of it. Yeah the guy cheated and he sucks. Get him out. Next, please.

MT: You sited Mt. Everest in your Wednesday bullets. Do you know what the Nepalese natives call that massive beast of a mountain?
Truehoop: OK, look. I have been to Nepal. I have seen the Everest. And I can't remember what they call it. It's something long and non-intuitive.

MT: Seriously? Tight. Well, the answer is Chomolungma - meaning Goddess, Mother of the Universe -- Definitely my next fantasy team name.
Truehoop: You have to love any team name with the word "lung" in the middle. Timberlungwolves.

MT: You're a big Gheorghe Muresan fan, yeah? Obviously the youtube clip of him dancing on a Sportscenter commercial is terrific. What else has he been up to?
Truehoop: Fishing on the Chesapeake. Apparently he's really into it. His friend is a guide or something. It's in an article that I linked to a few months ago. Big Gheorghe! So awesome, that guy.

MT: Is there anything to the rumor that you're going to be ABC's next bachelor?
Truehoop: Well, as much as I know Natalie and Abby will be crying, the truth is I'm as happily married as they get. And I would make a lousy TV bachelor. Who wants to watch me sit at a computer again?

MT: Sorry, your wife wasn't mentioned in your ESPN bio. But you did refer to her earlier in our chat. My bad.
Truehoop: She's in the CIA. We keep it low profile.

MT: If you link this to Truehoop it won't be low profile anymore. In a related item, who's going to win the NBA title this year?
Truehoop: Don't know. I would say Phoenix. They are the most motivated. But thanks to their mismanaging of draft picks and such, they are a highwire act of health. And they ditched Kurt Thomas, who was invaluable against their nemesis San Antonio? One of those two teams, though, I'd wager. Which is not really going out on a limb, but what do you want, it's August!

MT: I want a guarantee. Like, I guarantee that Nicole Ritchie's baby is going to have problems. I digress yet again. How terrific is TNT's "Inside the NBA?" What's your favorite moment from that show in the last few years?
Truehoop: They did a thing where they superimposed Charles Barkley's head on various dancing bodies. That was pretty spectacular.

MT: Oh true. As I said in an earlier interview this year, I liked when Kenny was talking about players going over to Europe and dominating And Charles goes, "Yeah those are called brothers."
Truehoop: I missed that. Hilarious.

Let the people know about Randy Foye and Craig Smith, Henry. Let 'em know.

MT: FINALLY, gotta get you to talk about my Wolves before we get you out of here. What are your thoughts on our roster, including young talents like Al Jefferson, Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, Craig Smith and Gerald Green? I've been writing about how much I like that core group.
Truehoop: OK, here's the deal: history says you NEVER win when you trade away a Hall-of-Fame big man. But all I care about is championships, and it was clear this team was never going to get one with Kevin Garnett and his salary. They tried every which way. Not happening. So they bailed while he still had value, and they wound up with a lot of young talent. Let's assume Al Jefferson becomes an important big man in this league. Players of the caliber of Foye, Brewer, Smith, Green etc... what percentage of them become bona fide superstars. Maybe, like 30%? That's an incredibly high percentage, you realize, as we're talking about the elite of the elite. Will Minnesota end up with two real deal stars, or even three? Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on how those guys develop, how professional they are, and what kind of culture the team can get going. But they have a real shot to make something special happen, which I don't think they really had before. So I think they made the best of a bad situation, frankly.

MT: Good take. That's all I have for now Henry. Thanks a lot for your time and keep up the great work on TrueHoop. I'll try to get the ladies here in Minnesota off your back.
Truehoop: Thanks a lot for having me. It was a lot of fun.