LMJ FOR THE H
Astros' Lance McCullers shows H-Town love with battle cry every Houstonian should adopt
Oct 24, 2022, 3:52 pm
LMJ FOR THE H
If Houston Astros star pitcher Lance McCullers, Jr. ever runs for mayor of Houston (which we heartily endorse), he won't need to hire a slick marketing team to create his campaign slogan — as the proven winner has already crafted a winning line.
The celebrated ace and overall good guy unleashed his devastating sweeping slider and struck out six New York Yankees in the Astros Sunday, October 23 win that marked a sweep and an Astros World Series berth — much to the chagrin of Yankees fans who famously (and somewhat foolishly) wanted another Astros-Yankees showdown.
Never one to back down and a passionate defender of his team and city – especially on Twitter — McCullers also scored the night’s most memorable line when interviewed after the big win — one that many locals might consider for their own tombstones.
“I only got one thing to say — and I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again,” he told TBS reporter Lauren Shehadi. “Bury me in The H.”
Truly, there are battle cries with less motivational power.
HE SAID THE THING!
— Apollo Media (@ApolloHOU) October 24, 2022
BURY ME IN THE H 🗣️🤘https://t.co/te3x7sh8tJ pic.twitter.com/QbBkgRmjqI
McCullers’ unforgettable declaration comes after the 29-year-old has already faced down a debilitating elbow injury that forced Tommy John surgery in 2018 and a forearm injury in 2021 during the American League Division Series that ended his playoff run. The forearm injury — later diagnosed as a right tendon flexor strain — continued to nag him this year, but the relentless McCullers persisted, even starting against the Seattle Mariners in the now historic, 18-inning 2022 ALDS win.
As frequently covered in CultureMap, McCullers has garnered a reputation for generosity for local causes since he arrived in Houston, be it handing out turkeys during Thanksgiving or spearheading homeless animal rescue and adoption through the eponymous nonprofit he runs with his wife, Kara.
Continue on CultureMap to learn more!
For the Houston Rockets, it's already been an exciting offseason, with the team trading for NBA superstar Kevin Durant earlier this week. The Rockets also inked extensions with big man Steven Adams and head coach Ime Udoka in recent weeks.
Apparently the action isn't slowing down as the Rockets have reportedly agreed to a contract extension with guard Fred VanVleet.
Senior ESPN NBA analyst Sham Charania is reporting that VanVleet intends to sign a 2-year, $50 million contract with Houston.
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet intends to sign a two-year, $50 million contract to stay with the franchise, with a player option in 2026-27, sources tell ESPN. Rockets are declining VanVleet's $44.9 million team option and land the new deal with Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. pic.twitter.com/rwtEUptBQT
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 25, 2025
Charania is also reporting that VanVleet has a player option for the 2026-2027 season.
In 60 games, VanVleet averaged just over 14 points and 5.6 assists per game last season.
This is a team-friendly deal for the Rockets that gets them below the luxury tax line, helping them avoid the repeater tax. It also opens up the full $14.1 million mid-level exception to add more talent to the roster. For VanVleet, it's more total money and an extra year of security.
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