"Lived to tell about it" is a phrase usually used in situations that were very rough, but you made it out alive. That's what gave us the impression it was bad.

I have had to fly US twice in the past 2 weeks. Once in coach and once in F (paid obviously). I now see the fuss. Coach was fine - it was coach. F was a joke (but to be fair, it was a very cheap F fare). First, I had my headphones in and apparently didn't hear the FA ask for my drink order. When I caught her eye a few mins later and asked for water, she gave me attitude and said "so now you want to listen." Never has happened in F on AA, where when I've missed drink orders before, the FA usually proactively comes back to me.
But the worst part probably was the lack of a meal. It was PHX-YEG and 3 1/2 flight. The "food" service was snack basket.