Trick Wire Journal

It's all over for our Hoosier 10m platform divers at the Beijing Olympics. A combination of disappointing performances in the final by the two, David Boudia and Thomas Finchum, and fantastic dives by the rest of the roster, pushed the pair down to end in 10th and 12th place. They are both still teenagers so hopefully we will see them in London in 2012 where they can grab a medal to bring back to Indiana.

I will miss seeing the timidity and waif-look of Thomas Finchum when he is shown off the platform. I will miss seeing David Boudia compulsively rubbing his backside while on the platform and pulling down the end of his swimsuit over his left buttock after he dives. I may not miss as much Boudia spitting in the shower or seeing Finchum do his strange form of two finger whistle. In general, I really liked the camera that moved downward with the divers. It showed the velocity of the dives and how incredible it is that anyone could do twists and turns in that short a time at 30 mph.

Perhaps the thing I will miss most is the magic hair of the divers, which went from soaking wet to fashionably styled in between each dive. A half hour and a blow dryer doesn't get me anywhere near as good a result.

See also: David Boudia and Tom Finchum want to be on top

The American 10 meter synchronized Olympic pair of Thomas Finchum and David Boudia finished in 5th place in the final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It looks like the medal drought in diving is going to continue a little longer. They were less than five points away from the bronze medal score, which was earned by the Russians. The Chinese and Germans came in first and second.

Boudia and Finchum are residents of Indiana, where the U.S. national diving training center is located as is the USA Diving headquarters.

Both Boudia and Finchum have another opportunity to bring a medal back to the Hoosier state when they compete individually in the 10 meter platform event on 8/23.

Also on Trick Wire: Some Gay Sensibilities: Finchum and Boudia in Sync