If they were really badass jounin, I think we would have had an opportunity to see their stuff before they died. Or at least should have. Maybe if they really are badass, we'll see them in a flashback, but I doubt it. About standing next to the hokage thing, remember what happened to the people hokage took with him to hunt down orochimaru? They died in no time. I don't think kakashi or Gai would have died that fast, they're not generic jounin. Truth be told, I really don't know, but that's the impression that I get. And, regardless of their strenghts, those 4 orochimaru lackies still undeniably got beat by genin, two of them having died in a one on one fight without any interferance.