Pokémon - Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep Ash

the biggest bait in the history in the pokemon anime

It gets worse.
Clemont and sawyer at the end of the 2/3 parter of the league grand final episode:
Sawyer: "Ash is in the lead, he is doing so well!"
Clemont: " Well believe or not, ash has never beaten alain in the past two times they have faced…but for the first time ever…things are looking different" Episode ends

THEY WERE TOTALLY GOING TO LET ASH TAKE IT!
THEY DID IT WITH THE B&W RIVAL BEFORE SO WHY THE CHANGE OF MIND!?!?!?!?