"So then this idiot goes and uses Mud-Slap and Pidgeot's just looking at him like "Dude, are you drunk or something?"

Never use a Ground-Type attack on a Flying-Type Pokémon! It's just a waste of PP and you're giving them a chance to get you. Gotta love the AI of Pokémon Trainers, just making their Pokémon perform moves at random!