Different results from playing vs simming games?
 

So my normal play style is GM/Head Coach. I simulate games in the regular season and then play playoff games, its fun to watch the games play out and add some suspense. Does this affect the outcome of the game? I've had a few first place/presidents trophy winning teams have 1st or 2nd round exits (nothing crazy I know) and in my most recent season my 64 win, 136 point team got swept out of the 2nd round. Is this just bad luck or does playing vs simming actually have an affect on the results?

Makes no difference - if you're just watching the game and not actively intervening on things like strategy and line use, it's completely identical to simming it without watching. Adam and I joke a lot during the Twitch streams about luck improving when we switching from simming to watching or vice-versa, but that's just superstition-level stuff.

Only "diffirence" is that you, as Jeff said, can change strategy and line(s) during the game. I usually sim games against lesser opponents, and playing against stronger one's where in-game change in strategy or lines can sometimes turn fortune on my side.