" On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise." (GEORGE ORWELL The sporting spirit)
What does "pick up sides" mean?
When I was younger the local kids used to play football, cricket or whatever on the village green (or the road.)
Two of the kids became the skippers (captain) of two sides. The captains picked in turn one lad/lass at a time to be in his/her team.
So; you then played a game for fun.
We used to call it "pick sides",
no up......
GF..
Perhaps Orwell got it wrong.. In my memory of long ago the matches played were
deadly 
serious... We used to do this nearly every day when the weather was good enough, and when it wasn't, our mums used to come out and fetch us home.
The good old days of yore and of eternal youth...
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/93713
"On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for fun and exercise: but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused…Nations work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe – at any rate for short periods – that running, jumping, and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue."
—
George Orwell
GF..
