I'm not an "emperor," says Calipari. He's just paid like one.
"The challenge of being here is not competing for national titles, but winning them." With those words John Calipari solidified his status as Kentucky's go to guy.
Calipari's decision to take the Kentucky job didn't come easily. He says he consulted with Joe B. Hall, Tubby Smith and Rick Pitino before agreeing to become the highest paid coach in college basketball, at a reported $31.65 million over 8 years.
"This decision was extremely hard," Calipari told a crowded news conference. "It wasn't coming here, this was easy. It was leaving Memphis. The support that my family and I received over the years there ... to walk away from that was very difficult.
But walk he did. Memphis boosters, among them the CFO of FedEx, said they made a competitive offer. That Calipari opted for the Kentucky brand more than the money.
