Look, agree to disagree, but I think HOF has it right. "Fired" implies the person let go was to be gone regardless - and in some cases, IN SPITE OF - the circumstances, for reasons (called "cause" in the business). If you guys think Mike Mangini deserved this, or didn't perform up to speed, okay, but I disagree with that. I think if Portnoy had, say, died instead of left, they could have gone on another 10, 15 years with Mangini and been content. I think this is a matter of six people for five spots, and Mangini was the odd man out.
If we find out that Mangini was let go because Petrooch and Co. were unhappy with his attitude, his playing, or his incessant bass drum hits, THEN went to Portnoy and said "hey guy, want back in?" I'd feel a lot better about "fired". I think there's enough evidence to show that that's not likely how it went down.