It was not a slam-dunk approach, it was a very usual "visual" with the distance to height at a normal rate.
I don't know for sure, but previous posts on this thread would seem to refute your assertion that the distance to height was 'normal'. In my experience, long-haul flights coming in from the Pacific are typically held high (10,000-12,000ft over PYE), followed by a steep descent over the Bay area to join right base for 28L/R. It's certainly not impossible, but it can be a challenge to get down, configured and stabilised on the final approach.
A visual in SFO should be a treat and not a threat.
Yes, it should, but unfortunately that's not the reality for most long-haul pilots. The typical long-haul pilot does not get many handling sectors these days; captains might get four a month, while some FOs are lucky to get one. The simple fact is that most long haul-pilots are not as sharp as their short-haul colleagues, particularly when they are operating at the back of their body clock.
By the way, I was a 777 skipper, I have more than a few thousand hours on the aircraft and have operated into SFO on many occasions. I am well aware of the ETOPS requirements and I must say that your take on things is simplistic in the extreme.