AT-SAT, not ATSA. The hiring process in the past was much different and included several "x-factors" such as race - which is part of why the system now is so regimented. I can't speak to how often situations like your brother's occurred, but today everyone who scores 100 on the ATSA will absolutely be given a TOL.
Are you being deliberately obtuse? Yes, once they're employed by their airlines the pilots are paid to train, just like we're paid for recurrent training or changing facilities or whatever. We're specifically talking about the requirements that need to be met BEFORE you get your first paycheck from the FAA or an airline. For us, it's a high school diploma and doing well on a 4 hour test. For them, it's several years of zero or very low pay and tens of thousands of dollars in training costs.
And obviously you would, you've already checked out and that'd be a no-brainer - everyone would take that deal. Would you have shelled out the $80k before you knew if you'd be hired, before you had any idea whether you'd have the aptitude for this job, and when you maybe had $5k or less in your bank account? I doubt it.