It will be a great first day of Steelers training camp Saturday if no one gets seriously hurt.

I'm not talking about the players.

The fans.

Have you noticed how aggressive autograph seekers are these days?

It's a miracle a small child hasn't been crushed trying to get Troy Polamalu's signature.

The Baltimore Ravens have recognized this as a growing problem. They saw the large crowds around Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Joe Flacco after training-camp practices and realized they had to make a policy change for safety's sake. That's why, at Ravens Camp 2010, autographs are being limited to kids 6 through 15, who are given wristbands to enter the autograph area.

Many adults in the Ravens' fan base have screamed in protest.

Too bad.

This is a terrific idea.

Here's hoping the Steelers look into implementing it.

It makes sense on so many levels.

Autographs are supposed to be for kids, aren't they? They provide a link to their sports heroes. Just about every athlete I know gladly will sign all night for these, their youngest fans.

Unfortunately, as with many things, adults ruin the experience for the kids. I just don't get it. The adults make the autograph process seem so degrading. It seems really demeaning for a grown man or woman to be pushing and shoving in a scrum -- often knocking the kids aside -- to get an autograph from another grown man simply because he can throw a football or a knock a running back into next week. Then, those same people wonder why so many pro athletes think they are special and entitled and even above the law.

Wouldn't a little human interaction be better than having a player scribble his name on something? Wouldn't a handshake and a smile and a word of appreciation for how well or how hard the player plays be preferable to shoving a piece of paper in his face to be signed?

Many adults will tell you they have made autograph-collecting a business. They are outside a team's locker room every night. Their only goal is to get sports memorabilia signed so they can sell it. These people annoy the players the most. If I were an athlete, I'd never sign for them. Surely, they will try to circumvent the Ravens' new policy by hiring kids to get their autographs.

Many other adults aren't looking to sell autographs and say they get them to have a connection with their favorite player or team. You'll see these people out in full force Saturday at Saint Vincent College for the opening of Steelers training camp. A lot will be wearing a Polamalu jersey or a Hines Ward jersey, even though their name might be Smith or Jones. Is it just me or is there something really strange about an adult walking around with someone else's name on his or her back?

Of course, the Steelers are glad the adults are wearing their players' jerseys. Merchandise sales add to their profits. They also are glad the fans care enough about their team to drive to Latrobe to watch a training-camp practice. That's why they encourage their players to sign as many autographs as they can. Most of the players oblige even though they can't possibly make everyone happy. If a player signs for 100 people, the 101st will be angry if he or she or their kid doesn't get an autograph.

As if they are entitled to one.

The Steelers are aware of the Ravens' new autograph policy but say they have no plans to implement something similar.

Maybe that will happen in the not-too-distant future.

Hopefully, before a small child gets trampled.