You say you're a Jets fan and you're looking for excitement? Perhaps you should monitor what the Jets are auctioning off on www.nflauction.nfl.com.
"Honestly, when I get to the end of a bid sometimes on eBay or NFLAuction, I can feel my heart pumping," said Dr. Lee Schulman, a long-standing fan of the Green & White and a season ticket holder. "I get a little excited."
Dr. Schulman had some amazing auction experiences this past season. In September, he outbid the competition for the opportunity to be a Jets honorary captain before their home game against the Miami Dolphins. But in a thoughtful move, Doc asked his father, Marty, to join the Green & White leaders at midfield.
"The bidding was a little bit hectic. You hope you win but there's no guarantee. Being on the field before the game was really exciting and walking out onto the field, which my father did, was a thrill," said Schulman. "How many times can a non-player get to go on the field and be there with the players right before the game at the coin toss? It was a great experience. We took pictures and got a kick out of it."
After the toss, the Jets defeated the Dolphins, 31-28. Before gameday, though, Doc Schulman had to provide his father with important visual evidence.
"I didn't tell him beforehand that I was even bidding on it in case I didn't win," he said. "When I told him, he thought I was kidding. So I directed him to the Website to look and he saw it was for real."
And Doc didn't stop with just one event. In the weeks leading up to the Jets' Thanksgiving road contest at Dallas, he visited *newyorkjets.com *and noticed the club was offering a VIP experience for four.
"To me it's like a once-in-a-lifetime experience to travel with the team to the game, stay at their hotel and be on the bus with them," he said.
Schulman again garnered the winning bid. In addition to bringing his father, he also had his 13-year-old son and 10-year-old nephew on the southwestern journey.
"My son loved it and he got a jersey autographed by the whole team practically," he said. "The players were really nice and very accommodating, especially to my nephew, who's about 10."
Upon touchdown at the team hotel, Schulman hung around the lobby. Woody Johnson, the Jets CEO and chairman, walked by and Doc, along with a handful of fans, approached the amicable Mr. J. He asked if his quartet could take a photo with Johnson and if they could get his autograph.
"'I just got here. I have to go back to my room," Johnson said. "Can I come back in 10 minutes?"
Schulman nodded and thought that was the last he would see of the owner.
"He came back about 10 minutes later, was totally accessible, took pictures and signed autographs," Doc said. "He couldn't have been better. He was totally first-class."
The seats for the game weren't too shabby, either. After watching warmups on the Texas Stadium turf, the four moved upstairs and took their space among the natives.
"It's exciting to be on the field and watch the players up close. Then we had excellent seats," Schulman said. "If you said to me, pick any seats in the stadium, those are probably the seats I would've picked. They were excellent and it was just a really great, memorable experience."
While many of the Schulmans were in Dallas on Thanksgiving, Doc was separated from his patient wife on their 20th wedding anniversary. But Schulman was with the Jets and it's something he'll cherish forever.
"Every year when I watch that Thanksgiving game in Dallas now, I'm going to think, 'I was there on the field,' " he said.
The good thing for Schulman and others is that the Jets section on nflauction.nfl.com is frequently updated with new opportunities and autographed merchandise.
"I'll certainly continue to check the Website from time to time to see what they have," Schulman said. "It is something I'll keep looking into because it's been fun and it's been good."
As of a matter of fact, there are a few days remaining to bid for the Jets' Super Bowl XLII trip for two. It's a Dutch auction and two trips are available, so you're on the clock.
The best news is the money raised from Atlantic Health's Super Bowl auction package will benefit the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Goryeb Children's Hospital. The critical care service at the hospital provides comprehensive care to pediatric patients from infants to young adults with acute, life-threatening illness and injury.
Net proceeds raised from Jets auctions will go to the Jets Foundation. That means you can get your heart pumping and help others' hearts in the process.
"It's a fun experience for anybody that's really into the NFL and is a Jets fan," Doc said. "You really feel that much closer to the team."
