There are the loud, crazy and law-abiding fans who lined the parade route Downtown yesterday by the thousands to salute the six-time Super Bowl champions. Gathering at the crack of dawn despite snow showers, low temperatures and, later, a lack of portable toilets, these Steeler-maniacs knew how to celebrate without setting a single couch on fire.

The other face of Steelers fandom is less benign. That one belongs to the rowdy young revelers in Oakland who marked the Steelers' victory over the Arizona Cardinals by destroying bus shelters, lighting streetside bonfires and dancing on Port Authority buses.

That's the type of Steelers adulation that had to be subdued by Pittsburgh police, who arrested more than 83 before Sunday night was through. Many taken into custody may have been University of Pittsburgh students. They were booked on charges ranging from failure to disperse to vandalism.

Hooliganism of this variety isn't unique to the Steelers. Other fans, in other cities and on other campuses, also disgrace the teams they profess to love. We prefer the black-and-gold army that shows up in droves, screams itself hoarse, then peaceably goes home. Save the mayhem for the field.