4:30 p.m. update: The Dolphins have been invited to the White House! But not the current team. Forty years after their undefeated season, the Dolphins have been invited to the White House to be honored by President Obama at 2:05 p.m. next Tuesday.
Former tight end Marv Fleming and former safety Dick Anderson both spearheaded the efforts; Nat Moore also assisted. Steve Ross is paying for all the expenses.
The Dolphins never received a White House visit after their undefeated season, so this is long overdue.
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A couple quick Tuesday morning items:
### UM coach Al Golden was allowed to speak for the first time this morning about UM newcomer and former Wisconsin starting defensive end David Gilbert, an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection last season.
"We’re very fortunate to have him," Golden said. "He brings maturity. He can rush the passer. He’s on a mission. He wants to go to graduate school and he wants to play in the NFL. We’re excited to have him. Our kids have welcomed him. They know he can help us.”
Gilbert is eligible immediately because he recently graduated from Wisconsin. He is enrolling in a graduate school program at UM.
Gilbert has battled foot injuries on and off for years and "retired" from football in April, but later changed his mind and reached out to UM. Golden said: “We made sure his foot was OK.”
Golden said he’s in good shape --- Gilbert has been working out in Fort Lauderdale for the past two months --- and “we’re going to take it slowly.”
“We’re excited about his experience and what he brings to the table,” defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio said. “We think he can help us.”
Gilbert had 42 tackles and four sacks last season and on paper, would seem to be one of UM’s two best defensive ends, along with Anthony Chickillo. But D’Onofrio said it’s too early to determine if he will be a starter or a situational player. Golden agreed. But Shayon Green's starting job will be at risk if Gilbert plays like he did for the Badgers.
Golden said he feels better about UM’s line depth after adding Gilbert, Virginia tackle Justin Renfro, and Ufomba Kamalu, who Golden says can play end or tackle.
### Golden expects safety Deon Bush to be ready for the Aug. 30 opener against FAU. He had sports hernia surgery in June.
### UM will honor the 1983 national championship team at the FAU opener. Sadly, UM says six players and two coaches from that team are deceased.
### LeBron James has decided not to run for president of the players union after considering it – days after he told ESPN that the “union is going backwards and it’s not in a good place right now.”
Jerry Stackhouse, an executive committee member of the union, called James "misinformed."
"He's the best player in the game right now and we want the entire league to be involved," Stackhouse told CBS Sports. "But he needs to be informed in speaking on our union business.”
Stackhouse said James' comments felt like a "kick in the stomach.... I would have liked [James] to come to the meeting next week and hear it and then voice his opinion."
### Dimitri Patterson has had a better camp than Richard Marshall, but the Dolphins aren’t yet ready to give Patterson the starting cornerback job opposite Brent Grimes. (Patterson and Marshall continue to share first-team snaps.)
Though coordinator Kevin Coyle said Patterson is doing a good job, he said he wants to see more consistency from him on balls “thrown vertically down the field.”
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