Idaho is all about spuds, not sports, right? Well, try telling that to the University of Idaho's mascot, and you just might get Vandal-ized by a motorcycle-riding madman. Idaho's Joe Vandal is the mascot version of Marlon Brando in The Wild One; a risky, rebellious rider who's irresistible to the ladies. A ripped Viking raider whose halftime antics can include some stunts on his chopper, Joe gets the Vandal players ready to pillage the opposing team. The nonchalant Norseman recently told Playboy.com about his relationship with the cheerleaders, his commercial ambitions and more.

Playboy.com: How would you describe your personality?
Joe Vandal: I'm a pretty outgoing mascot who likes to mess around with the crowd and get them involved.

PB: Do you have any pre-game rituals to help you prepare to hype up the crowd?
Joe Vandal: I like to go out on the field before the game and stare at the empty stadium. It's also a good chance to prep my motorcycle if I'm going to ride later that day.

PB: You ride a motorcycle?
Joe Vandal: Yeah, I ride onto the field and do a few stunts here and there. I'd like to learn some more aerial stuff, but that's going to take a little more work.

PB: What else do you do to inspire the crowd?
Joe Vandal: I do halftime stunts with the cheerleaders. During basketball season, I'll even get a boost off their backs when I dunk. I'm close with the cheerleading squad; we do conditioning twice a week.

PB: Do you ever get a bad rap for being a vandal?
Joe Vandal: To be honest, I've done a lot of events with other mascots and the response I get from the kids is that I'm the baddest mascot of them all.

PB: Girls must respond well to the bad boy image.
Joe Vandal: The girls do think I have a pretty hot outfit, and I am a big, ripped guy. I don't really get much grief.

PB: Would you be interested in appearing in one of those crazy Capital One commercials with the marauding Vikings?
Joe Vandal: Actually, I've been trying to do that. I'm talking to someone who's already appeared in one. It's very competitive amongst Vikings looking for work.

PB: Who is your biggest rival and have you ever gotten into a fight with him?
Joe Vandal: It's definitely Boise State's Buster Bronco, but I can't say that I've been in a fight with him. I did get in a fight at the Big West Basketball tournament, though. The University of the Pacific Tiger came out swinging a broom, and I sort of knocked him over.

PB: What are Idaho's football fans like?
Joe Vandal: It's a huge deal here. The fans are intense. We've only been in Division I since 1995, and we won the Humanitarian Bowl in 1998. That was awesome. Before that we were a big deal in Division II football.

PB: What's the rowdiest thing you've ever seen a fan do?
Joe Vandal: A lot of fans get on the railing and act crazy, but the best is this one guy who comes to the stadium with a battleaxe. That always fires me up.