Why does the speed tape on the Lockheed U-2 go the opposite way?
In essence, you are correct.
It was a conscious decision to do it that way:
- when the nose pitches up, you're "pitching" toward the slower airspeed on the tape...
- and you're pitching toward the higher altitude on the altitude tape.

My question:  why do most aircraft have the higher speed near the top of the tape?  Is it "just because the altitude tape does it that way"?  Or is there a better reason.  

Having flown the U-2 with the glass cockpit for over 10 years, it is intuitive and is "normal" for me to see that.