Oh I see.
So what we're saying here, is that when using Eagle, viewing the circuit from above, top side up, if you add a SMT component on a single sided board, you need to select the bottom layer (or the bottom side, where the copper is) and mirror the component yourself... Or somehow flip the board, just like you'd do in real life, place the SMT component, and then you'd see pin 1 top left when going back to original top side up view.
Am I understanding this right?