I hated him at first, but I started to like him around Survivor Series 2004 and he's now one of my favorite guys in WWE.
I must have missed the meeting as well. There was nothing but pissing and moaning about how much of a joke his world title reign was on these boards. Then about a week before Wrestlemania 21, everyone decided JBL IS THE BEST EVER, and shouldn't lose! There was a similar situation with the verbal blowjobs that went around for Mark henry in the weeks leading to the Rumble, before everyone realized not even Angle could make the sack of shit look good in a match.
I don't really understand the huge amount of love JBL gets on the board these days.
I'll admit that JBL has grown on me over time. However, I don't think he should have ever been in the main event scene and never should have held the WWE Championship. He's not a bad character but I think he's strictly a mid-carder. Just keep in the upper mid-card level and feud with the guys in that bracket like Chris Benoit.
As for Mark Henry, I didn't understand that at all. He's shown no improvement in the near ten years he's been under contract to WWE. I can only hope to God they don't re-sign him when his contract expires this summer.