Sports

Reinstated Saints ‘interim’ vows to keep fighting Bountygate

(
)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Joe Vitt’s personal nightmare finally ends today, at least for now, just in time for Saints’ interim head coach to confront a professional nightmare … Peyton Manning.

“Let me tell you something — the last time I was interim head coach in St. Louis [2005], you know who the quarterback was when I became head coach?” Vitt told The Post. “It was a Monday night game. Peyton Manning. When I had a chance to win a championship for the first time in 31 years [Super Bowl XLIV], it was Peyton Manning. Every time there’s a big moment in my life, we seem to be tied at the hip.”

Vitt and the Saints, however, beat Peyton Manning in that Super Bowl.

“Yeah, well right now I’m batting .500,” he said.

Vitt isn’t planning any Gipper speeches before the game.

“If we’re not prepared to play, anything

I say is not gonna make a difference,” Vitt said. “We understand how you have to play a great quarterback like this. He’s gonna get his completions. He’s gonna get his big plays. He’s gonna get his points. When the opportunity comes to make a play, you’ve gotta make it. They’ve outscored their opponents 72-6 in the fourth quarter. I haven’t seen that stat in 34 years. It’s huge. We gotta come early and stay late. “

Vitt will not allow his emotions to overwhelm him on gameday.

“I’ll be grateful I’m back with the people I love, the game I love, the organization I love,” he said. “My emotions have to stay in check. We have a job to do.”

Vitt, coming off a six-game Bountygate suspension, is replacing “interim interim” coach Aaron Kromer, and Vitt himself is replacing head coach Sean Payton, who is suspended for the entire season. Vitt said he is happy to be back in familiar surroundings after his “agonizing” suspension.

“I’m watching ’em on TV,” he said of his time away. “All I can do is watch.”

When you ask Vitt if he has any regrets about Bountygate, you can almost hear his blood pressure boil over the phone.

“There’s no bounty,” he said defiantly. “I said this to a federal judge in New York when I went up to testify.”

He said there was no intent to maim, injure or end the career of another NFL player.

“Twenty-eight other teams hurt opponents more than we did,” Vitt said. “You had a better chance of getting hurt when you played them than when you played us. Ndamukong Suh had more personal fouls for unnecessary roughness than Scott Fujita, Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith combined.”

He was asked if he feels cheated.

“I feel [ticked],” he said. “How do you think I feel? I have no recourse. I’m a coach in this league. My story hasn’t changed one time. There is no bounty.”

The NFL alleges Vitt offered a $5,000 bounty on Brett Favre during the 2010 NFC Championship against the Vikings. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for six games for not taking steps to stop or prevent the bounty program. Vitt reiterated his desire to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence.

Vitt has served his time, but said he hopes Payton’s one-year suspension is reduced.

“I do,” he said. “I think about that every single day. It should be reduced. What happened to him is criminal. The suspension is unjustified.”

Thouogh the current and former Saints players suspended for their alleged roles in Bountygate oppose former commissioner Paul Tagliabue hearing their appeals, Vitt is a proponent.

“The league is [where] it is today because of Paul Tagliabue,” Vitt said. “Paul Tagliabue is a lawyer, and knows the law. He’s a voice of reason. I don’t think he would do anything shady to jeopardize his legacy.”

On the flight Friday from New Orleans to Denver, Vitt immersed himself in his head coaching responsibilities.

“To this point, there hasn’t been a lot of time for reflection,” Vitt said. “I was going over critical situations — when do we go for it on fourth-and-1? … When would we go for any fake in our kicking game? … When do I sign off on zero blitzes? You have to have a plan so there are no surprises.”

The 0-4 Saints are now the 2-4 Saints, and Vitt, asked about the morale, said: “I think it’s outstanding.”

He has not heard from Payton because he is not permitted to stay in contact with him. They were allowed to attend the Saints-Chargers game early this month when Drew Brees broke John Unitas’ record with his 48th consecutive game throwing a touchdown pass.

Vitt is determined to rid the weight of the Bountygate scandal on his 58-year-old shoulders.

“This is far from over,” he said.

Vitt, who interviewed with the Jets to replace Herm Edwards, wants what he maintains is a wrong righted. He won’t stop fighting for vindication, if vindication is at all possible.

“I’m gonna ask them,” the 34-year NFL said, “ ‘What door do I knock on to get my reputation back when this thing’s all over?’ ”

steve.serby@nypost.com