43 Years and One Giant Patriots Fan

SOMERVILLE, MA – It's not Reading's most historic landmark, but on Sunday it just may be the most popular.

Smaller than Parker Tavern, but dwarfing its owners, the inflatable Patriots player -- No. 00 if you don't know -- is a game-day fixture on Pine Ridge Road.

In the summer of 2008 Frank Massiglia was driving through Tewksbury when he passed Mahoney's Garden Center and saw something he had to have. He didn't call Diane because he was certain his wife of now 43 years would approve. Frank was right.

"I just thought it was awesome," said Diane.

It's about 10-feet tall once inflated, wears silver pants, a blue shirt, and a helmet. It carries a football, and for the record, has never fumbled. And on Super Bowl Sunday the unplanned purchase will be proudly standing on the Massiglia's front lawn.

"I just happened to be driving buy and it was outside, and it was their last one. I think I paid $75 for it," said Massiglia, an electrical contractor and Reading resident since 2005.

A longtime Patriots fan, Frank was also was hoping to convert his three grandchildren, who, like their father, were Philadelphia Eagles fans.

"I thought it would be a cool thing to have with the grandkids, trying to convert them over from the Eagles to the Patriots, and help me put it out on Sunday morning. That lasted for a couple weeks, and that was it. Now they're not Patriot fans. They never became Patriot fans."

But though the effort to convert the grandkids failed, the inflatable Patriot stayed. In fact, there was also an effort to get each of the Patriots' opponents.

"We were going to take it to the next step and try and get the opposing team but it got too costly. We have the Miami Dolphins but that's it."

It didn't take long for the Patriot to become more than just a seemingly misplaced Halloween leftover.

"Then it became an event. This street here is a great walking street," said Massiglia. "Everybody that goes by stops, they comment on it, people come up with kids and ask us to take a picture with it. Then when he's not out there, we get texts and emails from a few neighbors that we know. But it's been a pretty good run."

"Some times we've been away and we called the neighbor next store and asked, 'can you go over and put the guy up,' " said Diane, who met Frank when they were students at Somerville High School.

The Patriot takes seconds to inflate and despite the occasional weather challenge, it hasn't been a problem.

"Until you're out there at midnight and it's snowing, rainy and icy and you try and bring it in and then he has to lie in the garage for two days to thaw," said Frank. "The year we had all the snow we had to shovel out a circle and put him in the circle because he wouldn't stay in the snow."

"If it's windy I watch it," said Diane. "One time we did put it on the front porch."

Frank and Diane try to go to one Patriots game a year, and often go to Miami to see the Pats play there. "It's a lot warmer than going to Foxboro," said Frank. They've never been to a Super Bowl.

It's a busy time for the pair. Diane volunteers for the Winton Club, which raises money to support Winchester Hospital. This week the club is sponsoring the production of Bling at Winchester Town Hall. Diane produced their show in 1992 and has remained involved since. Frank volunteers behind the scenes and spent much of this past weekend in Winchester.

The show concludes Saturday night, just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. Frank will be out on his front lawn early. It's game day on Pine Ridge.

Oh ya, and about the Super Bowl. For the record, here are their predictions. Frank said 31-27; Diane 38-31. You don't really need to know what team they picked, right?

Story by Bob Holmes (Patch Staff)