That's truly a strange statement. IMO upgrades can be some of the best value, especially on international flights such as the topic of this thread.
I think upgrades are expensive compared to JASA/FASA. Typically for an upgrade you have to book an upgradeable fare (usually slightly more expensive), and then you go into a lottery, with no guarantees. A JASA/FASA at Classic levels gets you a guaranteed seat, and you earn SC & points. For example:
MEL-LHR as Platinum, a common leisure route for me:
Discount Y to J
upgrade: 96,000 - 21,000 (plat earn) =
75,000 cost, earns 60SC.
Upgradeable fare for Nov13 is ~$1200 (MEL-LHR sector)
JASA = 128,000 - 26,000 (plat earn) =
102,000 cost, earns 240SC.
Taxes $590.
For me personally, the extra points cost is offset by the much smaller $ component, plus a guaranteed J seat. SC are a bonus. Hence why I, and many others on the thread dedicated to ASAs, think upgrades aren't a great point use. Plenty of other examples in that thread. The exception of course, as I said, being if work is paying the base fare, or of course you can't find an ASA seat on the dates you need.
The OW Classic distance awards are also a better use of points, IMO.