I'll show you a handchecking foul!

Despite the three most recent blowout losses at the hands of the Lakers, Nuggets, and Trailblazers, there is some good news coming from the Bulls camp. James Johnson will focus on playing small forward for the foreseeable future, rather than also attempting to digest the playbook chapters on Power Forward, Shooting Guard, and Point Forward. This means that the man, who some sites have nicknamed “Bloodsport”, may have a more direct route to the Kumite we call the NBA.

This announcement appears to be fueled by a) Johnson’s inability to secure meaningful playing time due to blown assignments, quick fouls, and turnovers; and b) the improvement of John Salmons’ shot and Jannero Pargo’s back. With a four man rotation at the guard positions, and another four man rotation lurking at the PF/C spots once Tyrus gets healthy, the only logical opportunity for Johnson to see immediate minutes is to become Luol Deng’s understudy.

We made the same arguments for rookie specialization earlier this year after seeing the Bears’ bungling of Earl Bennett last year. Bennett entered the NFL in 2008 at 21 years of age and struggled mightily to find his way as the Bears forced him to learn all three receiver spots. It is not surprising that his rookie year could be summed up by a giant goose egg.

This year the Bears reversed course on their carousel of idiocy allowing Johnny Knox to focus on one position, even going so far as to split kick returning duties with Daniel Manning.  Could Knox eventually play multiple receiver positions? Yes, but he doesn’t need to this year. He has caught 32 passes for 376 yards which is exactly 32 passes and 376 yards more than Bennett put up last year.

Can James Johnson play shooting guard or a Magic Johnson-esque point forward in the future? Maybe, but not this year. The guy oozes potential, but he can only reach that potential if he can achieve a comfort level where he is reacting to cues rather than trying to remember plays. Right now he is as raw as can be, but the Bulls giving him one position to work on affords him the best chance to succeed in both the short- and long-terms.

James, just pretend that Greg Oden is Kareem and take him down.

And fitting, since many of our first introductions to Johnson came from this piece in Sports Illustrated last January, we close with a quote from Mr. Bruce Lee, highly thought of in the Johnson household and gym.

In discussing the advantages of simplicity in Jeet Kune Do, Lee was quoted as saying “one does not accumulate, but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The more complicated and restricted the method, the less the opportunity for expression of one’s original sense of freedom. Though they play an important role in the early stage, the techniques should not be too mechanical, complex or restrictive. If we cling blindly to them, we shall eventually become bound by their limitations. Remember, you are expressing the techniques and not doing the techniques. If somebody attacks you, your response is not Technique No.1, Stance No. 2, Section 4, Paragraph 5. Instead you simply move in like sound and echo, without any deliberation. It is as though when I call you, you answer me, or when I throw you something, you catch it. It’s as simple as that – no fuss, no mess.”

Here’s hoping the Bulls and James “Bloodsport” Johnson get to the point where he can stop clinging to and start eliminating the techniques and when Derrick or Jannero throws him an alley oop, he just catches it and dunks it. No fuss, no mess, it’s as simple as that.