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April 19, 2024 11 mins
Mike Hill of FOX Sports joins Next Up to give an outside perspective on the state of Houston sports. 
With big-name signings and trades this offseason, Hill says the Texans have got a "target on their back," but should feel confident with head coach DeMeco Ryans, who went to the same high school as Hill, steering the ship. The Rockets finished their season with a 41-41 record, a 19-game improvement from winning only 22 games last season. Hill credits the sucess to head coach Ime Udoka who "got their leadership in place." If the Udoka is "able to gather these guys and get the most out of them," then the Rockets will be "formidable for a lot of years." Hill also discusses golfing around Houston, people recognizing him from "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and more.
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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Speaking of the best city in thecountry, Houston, Texas. Bumping to
a gentleman that I revere. He'sone of the very best professionals in our
business. Brothers uper talented, alsohappens to be a veteran of this country.
Appreciate his service and that capacity aswell. He was in town playing
some golf last weekend. I said, may you got to come through.
Let the good people in Houston knowwhat you think about us. Love to

(00:21):
get an outside perspective for people toknow what the hell they talking about.
A courtesy of Fox Sports. You'veseeing them on some other networks. You
see him on social going hard aswell. My man, Mike Hill.
It's Mike Hill on Social. Mike, good morning to you from Houston.
What was good? Was good?They fellas for sure. Forget that.
Appreciate your time. All right,let's start there. You are swinging some

(00:42):
clubs around. Let the people knowwhere were you playing? More importantly,
how did you shoot? Uh?Well, I toaugh some Houston golf courses
while I was there. I'm justgonna say it, and I didn't see
them up in a good way.It's just mentioned. I probably had to
fix a lot of vivids, alot of court not even invited back,
probably got banned my pictures up.I went to one course what was that

(01:04):
course of course? Golf course ofHouston, Golf course of Houston, and
yeah, it was the worst roundof my life, almost with the game.
And then we went to this onecourse. We played three days there.
We went to this one course,whereas all these replicable courses I think
it was what's the name of thatcourse for eighteen to eighteen man, And

(01:25):
yeah, I see why the professionalsare professionals and I'm an amateur. It
was horrible, right, was terrible? All right there with you, my
brother, listen, I need towork on my short air, my log
game. But nonetheless, we appreciateyou having the city and we'll talk some
food before we wrap up this subject. Wrap up this segment. Real,
excuse me? All right, wejust heard from one of our insiders over
there at the Texans. I knowyou love the NFL. You're watching NFL

(01:48):
and unbeknownst to the people listening,you and head coach to Miko Ryance went
to the same high school days inBama and jess La nil is the high
school going I have to tell youwhen I was giving them the business down
there, run through the handle ofmy visits. Nonetheless, Demiko, you're
one I love to get the nationalperspective. What are you hearing people say?
What are you seeing yourself in?What these Texans were in twenty three

(02:10):
and what you think they can doin twenty four? Outstanding? I think
they were to talk of football,man, what the Texans did c J.
Stroud, especially at quarterback, andthem being able to get into the
playoffs, and that that first yearwith the Miko Ryan there, that's a
rookie quarterback that was an outstanding job, man. And this guy's limits with
the additions that they're making there.I expected this out of the Miko.

(02:34):
I saw this when he was acoordinated I saw this when he was a
player. Just a cerebral mind.Man. And now I'm not just saying
that because you came out of justliving in high school and investing in Alabama
represented well, came through a coupleof years after me. But nonetheless,
man, this guy's remarkable, andthis guy's the limit for these Texans there.
Man, So you guys down thereshould be really excited about it.

(02:55):
As long as they stay healthy.Obviously, and now they know they got
a target on their back. Sonow there they went from having a surprise
the season to now having expectations,and of course we see how players adapt
to that and how they can evolvewhen it comes to the expectations because now
once again they had that target ontheir back. But I think they'll be
the standards at the time. Talkingwith Mike Hill, it's funny, you

(03:20):
know, Stan Setti ran in heI was like, oh yeah, Mike
Keel all those years on Sports Centerand you know, of course doing this
thing of Fox Sports. I mentionedyour name to my wife. She's like,
oh, yeah, from the Housewivesshows. I'm like, it's just
people associate people in different realms,in different worlds. I get that all
the time. He let me tellyou. So when that when people come
up to me and say, well, I know you're from I'm like,

(03:40):
I don't know if I would saythis. If it's a woman, I
say, you don't know me,you know my ex wife. I'll just
say it that way for the mostbar. Yeah, it's so funny though,
Mike I was looking at you whenhe mentioned you went to the same
high school as to Miko, andI started looking at the people I went
to the high school, man,like as accomplice as you are. If
they're I'm bringing back famous alums,man, you might be knocked down a

(04:02):
few pegs when we talk about GucciMan, Bo Jackson, like Gucci Man,
Jameis Winston's a Mika. I mean, y'all got y'all got some dudes
out of there is the most famouson that list other than Mike hellusm Alabama.
Man, you think about bo Jackson, Gucci Man, you're talking about
Garry Rose came out of the MikoRyans came out of there. Little no

(04:24):
fact. Diana Ross grew up inBestment, Alabama. He never claims it,
but she grew up Investment, Alabama. Man. So this little small
city of thirteen thousand people south toBirmingham. Man, you know he's got
a bad rap because a lot ofcrime that's there. It's one of the
top ten percapito in crime when hecomes to the nation. But the people
that have come out of there havebeen outstanding. Yeah, I'll probably be

(04:44):
one of those people that came outof there, And I don't mind being
fifty six on that list. Man. With those great names there, So
talk with Mike Heil Fox Boys hangingout with Fleet and Gordon Hill next up,
and I want to bounce around alittle bit. I don't know how
frequently you get to a town.We got to get you, ah,
Exkis, we got to get youback over here to Toyota Center. So
you can see a man that ishas some fame in his own right.

(05:08):
He's also a damn good basketball coach. Don't know how many Rockets game you
called. We got some young guyson the floor over here, the additions
of Fred van Vliet and Dylan Brooks. Just from an outside of perspective,
do you view the Rockets still asdysfunctional or in la In the circles you
travel a lot of Rockets view kindof like what we thought Okac was a
couple of seasons ago. For example, I think man, because first of

(05:30):
all, let me start over withwho made a Doka Man. I'm happy
that that brother was able to turnthings around, and the horror perspective because
of the whole scandal that happened inBoston whatever as somebody that's actually you know
that reality show World I've been in, and the type of drama that he
had to go through when he wasin Boston and all this personal business being
put out in the open right there, and him able to overcome that and

(05:50):
come to Houston and show the worldwhat kind of coach. I mean,
showed it in Boston when he wasthere, but he also showed the world
what he can do with a youngteam with nice veterans, like you said,
with fran van Fliet coming over thereand helping out that young group.
Man. The perspective on the Rocketsman is that their team that's gonna be
formidable in the future if they canstick together. It's a young team,

(06:13):
right, But I also think thatMayor Dooka being that coach, will be
able to gather these guys and getthe most out of them. But when
you have that young team, andthen when you have that expectations and you
have all that attention on you,how do you handle the attention? And
that is gonna be a big testfor guys like Jalen Green, Barr Smith
and all those guys over there.Man. But once again, they got
the leadership in place right now,and I think if they just buy into

(06:38):
what he's selling, the Rockets Man, they'll be one of those teams in
the Western Conference. That's gonna beformidable for a lot of years. Man,
they were there, they were rightthere, right on the edge of
making the play in game. Theyhad a great start to the season,
hit a little bit of a dipthcame back up a little bit more.
So they had this up and downseason. Now they just got to do
what they got to do in theoff season to get rolling the next year.

(07:00):
On it to next year. We, of course we carry the Rockets
right here at seven ninety. Wealso carry the Astros. And if I
were call Mike, I believe Iremember you being a Yankee fan, I
gotta say, finally you guys gotone on the Astros because we were kind
of own on that ask the lasttime. So we're not We're not gonna
start talking about it though, LikeI know, this is the Houston radio

(07:20):
pation, and yes we did needat the beginning of the season, but
that does not make up for bangingup the drums and bussing excuse my little
you're gonna give. I hope y'allbeat that. I hope y'all don't.
I hope you don't. But butyou know we're not gonna go We're not

(07:41):
gonna bring that old stuff back up, man, from the things that happened
in the band. But yes,the Ashos had had the Yankees number for
a long period of time, man, and I'm glad the Yankees got into
a good start. Now the Astrosman got to turn things around with us
not being there anymore. Uh,the new man just spotted, man,
he got to I know they gota lot of injuries up to the pigeon
stand right now, but they gotto get guys going. But it's still

(08:01):
a long season, I think,the Astros. But you still got the
Josel Tuv who's always been a Yankeekilling place. He's been a killer for
everybody in the American League around baseball. I know he's off to a good
start. I know they'll be ableto turn things around. But yeah,
man, it did feel good toget that that sweet to start the season.
Uh, this baseball season by theYankees over there, show we heard

(08:22):
you as the first time, saysweet, we got it, Mike.
But yeah, we's in October witha different tone, all right, all
right, so yeah, okay,y'all gotta get to October. Yeah we've
been we lasted longer than y'all didthat damn dining back. Who wasn't that
beat y'all? Won't it Arizon makethe post? Well with that speaking Oh
wow? Okay, Well, let'slet's not talk about history, because history

(08:43):
we got twenty seven dogs. Igot seven in my lifetime. We can
go back and forth all day.I'm not doing this with you, Mike,
We're not. We're gonna speaking ofthe tournament, speaking of a tournament.
I know you also watching college hoops. Man used to be uh coughing
the Big East there. I reallybelieve this, and I'm thankful for God
to put me in a situation inthe city as divers as Houston is.

(09:05):
You know, when I got here, you know Udokah's hired. There's Dusty
Baker leading them again to another ALCS. You talk about Domiico getting hired.
Brother over there at energ Obviously we'vespoken about, but let's also not leave
out Kelvin Samson at what the Universityof Houston Cougar's has done. Just real
quickly, your observation on the Koogsand I don't know if you had them
in your final four over the lasttwo years or not, and the work

(09:28):
of Kevin Samson, what do youthink about the Cougars and the bracket this
year outstanding. Man, I'm justI'm sad for the Coogies this year,
to be honest with you. Theyhad such an outstanding season. And that
one. If Jamal she doesn't getinjured. Bro that right there that killed
him, You know what I meanthat right there, If that doesn't happen,
I think I'm not saying they're gonnabe Yukon, but I really feel

(09:50):
like they would have given them atest. Man. They are such a
tough minded team. If you likegood quality basketball, good defensive, good
tough bats basketball, man you lovewith Kevin Sampson has been able to develop
into Houston man. And I'm gladmy man is coming back to transfer that
came over from Baylor. I'm gladhe's coming back for a senior season and
whatnot. And I think they're goingto continue the bill over there, man.

(10:13):
So yeah, like you did mentionman asht with the ash with with
the Cougars, with the Texans andwith you joke over there, y'all got
some brothers over there, man,that's doing some big things. And uh,
as far as me coming back toHouston after I enjoyed the night light
and and you, Jesse, forgetthe golf. The reason I'm smiling today
is the reason I'm smiling and talkingabout. He had nothing to do with

(10:37):
what I did in the daytime.Man, I'm about to sell my house
in l A and move to Houston. I don't want to move to d
C or Atlantic, Man, Houstonhas become number two on my lists,
right behind l A. Bro.I'm telling you, y'all, johny,
that's been the best secret. It'sthe world. Nobody tell me I'm becoming

(11:00):
twenty years. This is the thirdtime I'm living in Houston. I'm begging
for a new contract. So ifyou're hiring down there, let me brother,
Now you're trying to take my damnjob, the brother the TV.
I'm just saying that, y'all hirsout there, let me know. Man,
Man, Le'm makeing at Mike Hill'sass off of here. Him and
the seventy six thousand followers follow himon social want you one of the most

(11:22):
talented brothers. Talented people in ourindustry appreciate his work on Fox Boys consummate
professional. He is at It's MikeHill on social media, specifically the X
platform. Mike, I appreciate abrother. Next time you come to Houston,
let's go to din on me.Let's make it happen. Now,
I remember that now, Yeah,we get to meet go to put something
too, all right, my brotherMike, Hill, Curtisy and Fox Boys

(11:43):
dropping by. Next up to hangout with fleeting Gordon
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