Yes, theologians were fired. And every pope appoints and removes members of the Roman curia. But no non-curial prelate was ever removed or excommunicated for disagreeing with JPII or BXVI that I can recall. These popes changed the global episcopate by appointing their own men mostly by waiting for others to reach retirement age. And they didn't use insulting and demeaning language in public towards their fellow hierarchs for any reason.