Calipari gives definitive answer on Knicks coaching rumors

Even though he's only been on the job for a full year now, even Arkansas fans can tell Razorbacks coach John Calipari has a deeper than normal love for New York City.

Since his arrival, he tried to schedule a pair of games for the Hogs in the most hallowed of sports arenas, Madison Square Garden. The first against Michigan, was successful both in landing the location and an important win.

The second, a high profile game this coming season against Houston, almost ended up at the Garden, but Calipari had to settle for the Barclay's Center. However, the Big Apple is the Big Apple, and based on how much the Arkansas coach looked at home soaking up the glitz, energy and attention playing basketball in New York City brings on Calipari's A&E documentary, it was clear he was quite at home among the hustle and bustle.

That's why, when the national media asked about the opening with the New York Knicks job during an appearance Friday afternoon on "The Jim Rome Show," Arkansas fans leaned in close. They kept a trained eye on every gesture and every inflection of tone to see what truth they could gather from whatever the response was about to be.

"No, I've got stuff to do here," Calipari said. "There are people who have absolutely committed to this program. I owe it to them to bring something here that we're trying to do, let us compete for national titles every year we're here."

Calipari goes into his second season with the Razorbacks after taking his first team to an improbable run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after a 1-6 start in SEC play.

Job hopping is not something Calipari has done in his entire career as a coach whether that be at the college level or even in the NBA when he coached the Nets from 1996-99. He has stayed an average of 10 years at each job and that doesn't appear to be changing at this point in his career.

"For me, I've got stuff to do here, and I'm excited," Calipari said. "You've been interviewing me for years, I hope you look at me and think 'Oh, he's in a great frame of mind, he's ready to go.'"

"I'm happy. What we're doing, let's go. Let's do this."

He is loyal to his school, assistant coaches, players, athletics program and fans to a fault even if there's talk from the outside that he would entertain the idea of leaving.