SANTA CLARA -- You get tired just watching them, all 70 or so 49ers making blocks, hitting bags, shuffling feet, chasing punts and striking sleds with their padless shoulders in summer heat.
Offseason workouts are "a grind," as coach Mike Singletary said Tuesday, and his players were testament to this, the final afternoon of organized team activities.
"We've put a lot of work in this offseason, a lot of good work done," Singletary said. "We have to make sure we manage that this offseason.
"For me, the goal is to be a championship team. We're striving to build that."
Splitting time between defensive and special teams sessions, Jeff Ulbrich never stopped moving. In his 10-year professional career, the Live Oak graduate's approach to each season has been the same -- just like the jersey he wears on Sundays.
Ulbrich, who has not been traded or cut since signing with San Francisco in 2000, feels there is a correlation.
"I think it's in part from being a part of good front offices and head coaches that saw something in me and wanted me around," the 6-foot, 240-pound inside linebacker mulled. "It's partly me wanting to be here, not looking for the blockbuster contract. I've never wanted to leave.
"I was a Niner fan growing up, so it's always been a dream come true for me to play here."
It certainly felt that way his first summer practice, when Ulbrich was practicing with the likes of Jerry Rice, Ken Norton Jr., Bryant Young and fellow Gavilan College product Jeff Garcia.
"It was exciting," Ulbrich said, cracking a smile for the first and only time during a 10-minute interview. "I was playing with a bunch of guys I grew up watching -- it was definitely overwhelming. I didn't feel necessarily like I was a part of it. I felt kind of like I was a fan. But once you get out there and mix it up, you realize it's just football no matter what the level is."
From his days playing in Morgan Hill, Ulbrich has taken his career one step at a time. His goal wasn't to reach the NFL, but to play his best.
"It wasn't like I didn't dare to dream because I'd get crushed if I didn't, I just played and progressed," he said. "I progressed to junior college and I thought I could play at the next level. I played at Hawaii and I thought I could play pro ball. ... It was just one thing after another. I was fortunate to be successful at each level."
Ulbrich is one of the longest-tenured 49ers, and he has not taken a day for granted. Considering the average NFL career lasts roughly two years, Ulbrich, 32, knows each offseason practice could be his last.
"I always went into the season like I was that guy on the bubble and could be cut anytime," Ulbrich said. "I think that's what kept me up through these years. I've been here long enough to know nobody's safe."
Especially head coaches; Ulbrich is on his fourth. During his early years, a coaching job at San Francisco seemed as stable as the team's success. With Steve Mariucci at the helm, Garcia under center and Ulbrich and company holding their own on defense, the 49ers rebuilt their winning tradition, culminating in their run to the 2003 NFC Divisional Playoffs.
They have not had a winning season since.
In the wake of their 7-9 finish in 2008, though, there has been talk of an impending turnaround. Ulbrich sensed it the day Singletary, San Francisco's former linebackers coach, took over for Mike Nolan after Week 7 of last season.
"I thought there was a lot of things he brought to the linebacker room that I thought the team needed. Now, he's in that role," Ulbrich said. "He respected a lot of the stuff coach Nolan did and he kept some of those things in place, but he brought his own flavor to it. I always thought he'd be a great coach. He's, if not the greatest, one of the greatest motivators. He's a guy that you'll follow into a burning house."
In the spirit of Singletary, Ulbrich has set high goals for himself this season. On top of factoring into Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky's 3-4 front, which features Pro Bowl players Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes at the middle linebacker spots and four-year veterans Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson on the outside, Ulbrich hopes to play on his old stomping ground, Aloha Stadium, as an All-Pro special teams player.
His first objective, though, is the same as his teammates': Make the cut.
"It's back to step one in the offseason," he said. "You have to prepare. OTAs and mini-camp are a grind, but it's still fun to me."
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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