The manual mode of the current Ford 6spd does work quite well, I've got 55K on my '11 F250. It allows for 2nd and 3rd gear starts if one is concerned about wheel spin and downshifts well if one needs the engine/tranny to keep things slowed up going down steep grades. I'd have a hard time shifting a manual truck tranny any faster than the Ford auto shifts in Manual mode.

I can walk on water.......................but I do stagger a bit on alcohol.