I did a quick google search and back in 1996...he wasn't interested...didn't even want to interview.
"It looks as though the athletic director of St. John's, Ed Manetta, can cross John Calipari's name off his wish list.
Bob Marcum, the athletic director at Massachusetts, said Calipari had reiterated to him yesterday that he was not interested in the vacant St. John's coaching position and that, by extension, Marcum would not give Manetta permission to speak to his coach about the job.
He told me an hour ago, 'I'm not interested in that,' " Marcum said yesterday of his conversation with Calipari. "If they would ask permission, I would deny it."
Hiring Calipari was viewed as a long shot, at best. Manetta has already talked with Manhattan's Fran Fraschilla, Florida State's Pat Kennedy, Bradley's Jim Molinari and Marquette's Mike Deane."
In 2004...
"Every year, I'm rumored to be getting a different job," the former Nets coach said. "I let people talk. I just do my job. If my name is out there, I guess it's out there."
And most recently...
"There is a torrent of talk on Internet message boards speculating on the possibility that John Calipari might be interested in job openings at Alabama or Georgia, or in a potential job at Kentucky should Billy Gillispie get fired.
Perhaps more correctly, there are thousands of fans at all three of those SEC schools who cast their gaze longingly towards Memphis, Tennessee and assume that he would be eager to work there.
Then, there is the matter of salary.
After last year’s run, Athletic Director R.C. Johnson extended Calipari’s contract and gave him a huge raise. The base compensation package was increased to $2.35 million.
Additionally, an annuity that Coach Cal was set to receive should he stay in Memphis until 2010 was doubled, from $2.5 million to $5 million...and was added to his salary over the course of the contract.
This essentially raised his pay to $3.35 million per year, excluding bonuses for graduation rates and team accomplishments. He would receive $400,000, for instance, if he were to guide Memphis to a national title.
Only one college basketball coach—Florida’s Billy Donovan, at $3.5 million per annum—takes home more than Calipari."
Do you really think St. John's will make Calipari the best paid coach in the country?
St. John's offers 2 things that most other schools don't have...close proximity to recruits and proximity to NYC and its amenities. We don't have near the money that the state schools do.