I think the point of avoiding a bite when coming from above stems from the fact that a Ball Python can't strike straight up into the air. They can strike forward however, and quickly so.
Coming from above works very well with a angry or defensive YOUNG Ball Python. The ones that coil up and are ready to go. I first lower my flat hand up against their body, coming from above and slightly behind. That snaps them out of the defensive or food mode and then I can easily pick them up. If you were to try that coming at them from the front, at their level, you can easily get tagged.
But this is something that I had to only do with a couple of defensive hatchlings and then, they quickly learned I was no threat and were good to go. All ended up easy going and no more striking and defensiveness.
If you have a truly aggressive snake and you move your hand towards the snake without getting it out of the mode first (tapping with paper towel roll or hook) you may very well get tagged. But even if you reached in from above, with an adult and an aggressive snake, you still risk a bite unless you can redirect them or snap them out of it.
So yes, I do think it works great coming from above in certain situations, like with defensive hatchlings. Or juvies. BALL PYTHONS!! Because they usually give up the bluff as soon as you lower your hand on them gently to tap them , before picking them up.
Establishing trust is something that will happen very quickly if done right, and then all this is a moot point. With a large cage I will always say, get front doors. Because I don't like glass cages. But when you have tubs, you always reach from the top, and my snakes are just as fine with that, as if I were to reach them from the front, or back, or which ever. Because they have learned I won't harm them
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