Mr. Furlong, of Oregon, is hoping for more recognition of the skill back home in the U.S. "If they saw it in the Olympics on TV, and it was advertised more, I think people would see it is a good sport, and that it's not something to be laughed at, " he said.

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Likewise, companies are dipping their toe into the sport to see if it is a good fit.

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"I don't think it's good to predict anything because tennis is such a unique sport, individual sport, " he said.

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Other good things about netball are that it is a non-contact sport, and it is cheap, requiring only goals and a ball.

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Sport is so well, deeply and widely understood that it serves as a good metaphor that we believe will enable readers to internalize the conceptual points that we make.

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"It's a good place to start and where I really want to run fast is Beijing, " Radcliffe told BBC Sport.

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