Though you won't be seeing Alex Smith connect on any official touchdown passes to Ashley Lelie until September, Lelie is busy working to ensure that scoring connection begins early and often. With the off-season workout program now a week underway, the talented wide receiver has finally gotten a chance to soak in the ambience at team headquarters. "Everybody has the same attitude to get better and win," said Lelie. "You just walk around and you get the sense of tradition. When you see the pictures on the wall you get the chills. Everybody's attitude towards me has been very positive." Lelie hasn't had the chance to meet all of his new teammates. Still in the midst of moving and setting up shop in the Bay Area, Lelie has been in one of the later workout groups when most of the team comes in early. "Every night it seems like I have to go to Best Buy or Target and get everything unpacked," said Lelie. "When I go to bed it's around 12:00 or 1:00 in the morning and I just can't bring myself to set an alarm." While he may not be a morning person, Lelie hasn't missed a workout. With smaller groups later in the day, Lelie has gotten to know one of his fellow wide receivers as they've discussed some of the difficulties of living in the Bay Area. "I met Bryan Gilmore and he's been very helpful," said Lelie. "We were just talking about the real estate out here and how it just kills everybody. He seems like a pretty cool guy." While the cost of living in Silicon Valley might be hard to deal with, the climate is not. With hardly a cloud in the sky, workouts couldn't have come with a better setting. "This is the first time in my career that I've been this close to the water and I'm going to try to take advantage of it as much as I can," said Lelie. "The weather's nice. I like the breeze and the ocean." Another thing that has the former Hawaii Warrior excited is the chance to work with wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan, who always expects the very best out of his position group. "I'm very excited to work with him, especially at this turning point in my career," said Lelie. "Anybody who can help me get me better out there on the field, I'm glad to work with. I haven't really had someone in my career to show me all the technical things I need to do to improve. Coach Sullivan can show me what to do, but after that it's on me." Lelie's success this season will depend largely on his ability to establish chemistry between himself and third-year quarterback Alex Smith. Last year in Atlanta, Lelie arrived late to camp and never felt comfortable with quarterback Michael Vick. With a full off-season in front of him and passing drills scheduled to begin next week, there should be ample time for Lelie to get acquainted with his new gunslinger.
"That's very important to get that timing down, especially at our positions of receiver and quarterback," said Lelie. "When you get that extra time together, you can start reading each other's body language. Chemistry is everything between a receiver and quarterback." Before those passing drills begin, Lelie has focused entirely on performing well in the workouts with strength and conditioning coaches Johnny Parker and Duane Carlisle, who have high expectations for the off-season program. "They're cool people," said Lelie. "They're down to earth. They're not your typical weight room coaches. It seems like they know what they're talking about. From what the players have been telling me, it works." With each stride under Parker and Carlisle's watch, Lelie takes one step closer to a promising season with the 49ers. Interestingly enough, the speedy receiver's biggest concern is that he's too boring. "I'm not too flashy," said Lelie. "I'm very low key. You won't see many end zone dances, so I hope the fans don't get bored with me." Once they establish good chemistry in the off-season, Smith to Lelie touchdown connections will be anything but boring.
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