It's not an unreasonable expectation seeing as a different phone of a similar form factor does not bend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FwM4...
Large and flat will bend, break or crack. It's just the nature of things.
That said, the Galaxy Nexus would probably break, before bending, which is what you'd expect. You'd also expect that for a Galaxy Nexus to break, a lot of pressure must have been applied.