The Sixers Burnergate scandal involving GM Bryan Colangelo, who was linked to demeaning, aggressive hidden Twitter accounts that bashed his own players has taken a new twist.
Shams Charania on Twitter
The Philadelphia 76ers have launched an investigation for the “serious” allegations on president Bryan Colangelo, who was linked to multiple Twitter accounts.
Colangelo denied any involvement, defended himself and told a reporter, Someones out to get me.
Philly reporter Tom Moore did some investigating of his own and noted that Bryan Colangelos cell phone number ends in -75, not -91, which is the number connected to three of the five burner accounts. Moore also noted that neither Sam Hinkies nor Jerry Colangelos phone numbers end in -91, which would imply neither of them set up the accounts.
Deadspin on Twitter
Bryan Colangelo’s wife could be the person behind Woodergate: https://t.co/8q8uoIdSyD
However, new findings in the case suggest that the person out to get Colangelo may be his wife Barbara Bottini. Colangelo’s either having a very rocky relationship or his wifes trying to sabotage him which is unlikely after reading the various Tweets sent from the accounts. This may be just another incident of a prominent persons spouse coming to their defense and trying to influence public opinion via fake accounts.
Jane Skinner Goodell was caught defending her husband against reporters from a burner account last year. Fake Twitter accounts are the new PR control.
Dion Caputi on Twitter
Comish’s wife has been defending him on Twitter via fake account. Find you a Jane Skinner, gentlemen. https://t.co/fpkQjXYfRd
No need to hold a press conference to defend yourself against the public backlash. Just create burner accounts and spew whatever nonsense you want to under a cloak of anonymity and under the guise of a supportive party or person.
The user of one of the accounts claimed to know Colangelo and described him more than once as a “class act.” It was also divulged on WFAN’s CMB afternoon show that one of the accounts targeted actress Gabrielle Union, wife of NBA star Dwayne Wade, and accused her of being rude to a young child. The person tweeting claims they were sitting next to Union at an event. Similar tweets also raised the question of whether Colangelo used the anonymous accounts to divulge team strategy and details about players’ medical conditions.
What started as a bizarre potential scandal involving one man and his fake Twitter accounts is now becoming some sort of conspiracy. Just because the reported accounts are tied to his wife, doesnt mean Colangelo had no knowledge of it. It doesn’t mean he didn’t. Kind of like when Peyton Mannings wife took the blame for PEDs being sent to the Manning home in 2011 when The GOAT was recovering from major neck surgery and tried to make us believe that he had no knowledge of it. It just makes you more suspicious. Colangelo could have known that his wife had the burner accounts and was probably the one using them, not her.
According to Deadspin, Bottini, might have the phone number connected to three of the five burners.
Did the Sixers win? on Twitter
Colangelo’s wife, Barbara Bottini has a phone number ending in 91, almost certainly linking her to 3 of the burner accounts. WOW.
“This post from the Upper Canada College website, where she headed up the Parents Organization, confirms that Bottini has both the email address in the screenshot and a phone number ending in 91. An attempt to call the number listed went to a voicemail that didnt confirm the identity of the phones owner. Deadspin also has reached out to Sixers PR for comment and will update if they respond.
This saga is heating up and right now and no matter how much he denies it to save his job, Colangelo is sliding down a hill of mud and all sources point to eventual confirmation that hes a devious character who also gets his family involved in his nefarious and traitorous acts.
We are witnessing the fall of one of the NBAs most respected and trusted executives and he deserves it.
