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Bartender will punt for Packers?

Friday, December 23, 2005

How crazy is it then that the Packers have become so desperate for bodies they called 25-year-old free agent Ryan Flinn on Wednesday. Flinn slept through the call initially because on Tuesday night, he was twirling vodka bottles to music until 2 a.m. as a bartender in Orlando, according to the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL.

"Kind of like the movie 'Cocktail,' but a little more exciting," Flinn said.

And two days later, Flinn was in Green Bay preparing to be the punter and holder for the Packers' game on Christmas Day against the Chicago Bears, who hope to clinch the NFC North title with a victory at Lambeau Field.

Optimistic and enthused with his most unexpected big break, Flinn is yet another anonymous player plucked off the street in an emergency situation by the 3-11 Packers.

Punter B.J. Sander, who suffered a bruised knee from the hit he took in the Baltimore game Monday night, was not going to be able to play in the next 10 days, so the Packers put him on injured reserve Thursday. That allowed them to sign the 6-foot-5 Flinn, who will make his NFL debut Sunday.