I did well over 60 segments on AS in 2007 up and down the coast, and was 100% on UGs; maybe once or twice I allowed U-bucket availability to affect my choice of flight, but no more than a couple of times.

I agree that standards have slipped, but the same has happened in varying ways across all domestic carriers. However, I agree with wildway - AS people are almost universally friendly and helpful - something I can't say about any other domestic carrier.