'The Pearl' hypes up the crowd in Nassau

At the Ceremonial Chamber inside Nassau County’s Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building, a crowd of county employees, summer interns and Knicks fans wearing team jerseys chanted “Let’s Go Knicks” Wednesday afternoon as former Knicks players Earl “The Pearl" Monroe, and John Warren were wheeled into the room.

Tom Hoover. a former president of the New York chapter of the National Basketball Retired Players Association,  and County Executive Bruce Blakeman, followed behind them.

“We always had this strong affinity with the Knicks here in Nassau County,” Blakeman said, explaining how the county and the team share the same Dutch origins of their blue and orange colors.

The Ceremonial Dome will shine in blue and orange lights Wednesday night in honor of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Blakeman also proclaimed Wednesday as New York Knicks Day.

“Now they're in the finals … they got everybody hyped here in Nassau County, and throughout the whole metropolitan area, the whole state, for that matter,” Blakeman said.

Monroe, who helped the Knicks win the NBA championship in 1973, said it was special to speak with so many who were passionate about the finals.

“It’s such a nice day to be able to come out and see so many fans,“ Monroe said, wearing a blue Knicks zip-up sweater and his Top 50 players ring. “Having won the championship back in ‘73 we haven't had a real chance to come out and see people as excited as everyone has been about this particular Knicks team.”

Monroe commended the current team for their success, and said it was gratifying to know that “we’re still here” and to compare the camaraderie of today’s fans to past crowds.

“It just goes to show you what the influence of what the Knicks have been,” he said. “New York is not New York unless the Knicks are doing it."

Warren, who played for St. John’s and then for the Knicks from 1969 to 1970, recalled stand-out memories of his basketball career, from how his high school team had won “four games in two years” to playing with former Knicks teammate Bill Bradley.

Warren wore his 1970 championship ring.

“I learned so much from that team,” Warren said of his time with the Knicks before playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“This is a great team that we are looking at now, and I think they will win it in seven,” Hoover said.

Hoover then hyped the crowd by getting them to again chant “Let’s Go Knicks!”

Hempstead Supervisor John R. Ferretti Jr. predicted a “Knicks in six” outcome.

“Although the game of basketball may have changed since our last championship in 1973," Ferretti said. "The one thing that I feel that this current team has in common with our living legends and their teams is that they have the heart to get it done,” Ferretti said.