Not to people who've earned a living with heat and temperature.
In physical terms, "heat" is defined in terms of energy per particle. If an ion's moving really fast then it's 'hot', and if upper atmospheric particles can accelerate at higher altitudes (nothing in the way to stop them), then the temperature of the air (what there is of it) is hot. Same thing here on earth.
I agree with you about that. I really didn’t like that line, either. People don’t understand what temperature is. I love to tell people that the temperature of the gas in a florescent bulb is over 10,000, and watch their faces. That is the way I’ve addressed this same question with some people I’ve been in discussion with.