They didn't--I was making fun of how Ash never wins any battles and almost always "earns" his badges by saving the gyms from Team Rocket. At least, that's how it was in the first season. He never caught anything, he let his best Pokémon go or stay with someone else (he even tried to release Pikachu once, WTD?), and just sucked overall. From what I hear, he still does. He wishes that everyone who mistakes RED for him were right.