I presume you were upgraded? And, yes, this treatment really sucks.

Shockingly good outcome to a failure
 

I flew AS689 on 2/11 (SFO to PVR). I am Titanium and was #1 on the upgrade list. At roughly T-1 the upgrade list is processed and I (and 3 others) get skipped over for what looks like a group of 4 all with the same last name put in 4A, 4C, 4D and 4F. I was going to let it go. But decided to ask the gate agent what happened. The first agent gave the usual deer in the headlights, "I don't know, I didn't do it, I can't do anything." But, he called someone over. This guy was amazing. He said it shouldn't have happened. Apologized profusely. He offered to upgrade me immediately on my return flight. When I told him I was already upgraded on my PVR/SFO return, he upgraded me on one short flight (SFO/SEA) and then waited for me to buy a coach ticket for a longer flight with a highish coach fare that I had been watching. This guy created U space that wasn't available and got me in it and I sat in the back of the plane a very happy customer. If only I had gotten the guy's name...

Perhaps your upgrader was the one who made the SFO-PVR illegitimate upgrades?

This type of upgrade favoritism happens frequently. As a Titanium Million Miler, when we are first on the list, we always visit the gate agent an hour prior to departure,
and in a friendly way, let them know that we are watching. Does hurt to let them know that we have taken a screen shot of the upgrade list.

Wow, Just Wow.

This seems smart. I'd also compare the upgrade list order shown in the app to what is shown on the gate screen and proactively ask them to explain any differences

(It's very similar to what you do as a listed nonrev where you politely introduce yourself to let them know you will be around whenever they are ready to work that list... except that as a top tier elite you don't have to feel bad about adding to their workload ;-)

I've done something like this in a more passive aggressive way--"Do you happen to know if my upgrade cleared yet? If not, where am I on the list?" I know the last minute (airport/gate controlled) upgrades on AA are now more automated and I wonder if just letting the upgrade processor work until just before boarding would help--I can't believe I trust that frequently "broken" upgrade processor over a human being but I think I do...lol.

Indeed.

A simple "Hi - how are the upgrades going?" keeps things honest.

And this is practically "required" for interisland upgrades as was mentioned in the HA upgrades thread.

The flight status page says that for my fight tomorrow there are 7 first class seats available and it's in T-20-ish....hope the upgrade processor runs soon.....

Basically 7 passengers will get upgraded after its too late to pre-order... annoying.

From my experience, it will run as early as about two hours before flight time or right up at boarding time. But you’ll see the 7 seats dwindle down to 1-3 by that time.

What I found to be odd was that yesterday and this morning in the app there was no buy-up offer. Flight status still says 7 seats avail and it's almost T-3

Lately for three-day weekends or other high travel weeks (it's school mid-winter break in SEA region) they've been giving the professor leave and processing all the upgrades at the gate. This sounds like what you've observed this week.

I was #1 on the list and upgraded at gate (as expected at this point) but also I think it's weird that as #1, they put me in row 4 meaning I didn't have a choice in meal (in this case I was fine with it because I still got what I wanted). And while this is obviously a first world problem, if you have 7 seats available at T-24, at least upgrade a few people ahead of time so that they have the ability to make an order. If it's only 2 seats left I'd understand waiting til the last minute but 7 seems excessive.