I believe all you chaps are talking about pedal braking. "Manual" braking would involve some considerable contortions to get your hands on to the brake pedals during the landing roll, and I would certainly consider that dangerous!!!
But seriously, I agree that it is criminal to stop pilots from practicing their skills so that they are there when really needed. Of course, the primary reason why the automatics often do a better job than the pilot is precisely because (s)he hasn't been keeping up to speed.