I thought the live sims were much more volatile than the regular sims. I also thought the talent level just plummeted in general lagging from the late 40's through the 50's. The win/loss column also doesn't always reflect talent because we have a very late trade deadline.
Each year and team is super unique.
@doh has had some very poor luck with late season injuries. A 4-seed Tanner team won who was really young and won as a 1-seed the following year. Yankee's win as a 4 was a similar story. Two doh teams won as 4's and he always built for the playoffs. One of which was 2045. I won as a 4 with 102 wins, so I don't think you can say there was much of a talent gap there. You won as a 3 with 100 wins. Same story. We did have a number of 4's in a row though.
Here they are:
[xtable=skin1|border:1|cellpadding:0|cellspacing:0]
{colgroup}
{col=100x@}{/col}
{/colgroup}{colgroup}
{col=100x@}{/col}
{/colgroup}{colgroup}
{col=100x@}{/col}
{/colgroup}{colgroup}
{col=100x@}{/col}
{/colgroup}{colgroup}
{col=100x@}{/col}
{/colgroup}{colgroup}
{col=100x@}{/col}
{/colgroup}
{tbody}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2039{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2050{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2060{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2{/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2040{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2051{/td}
{td=bottom|right}3{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2061{/td}
{td=bottom|right}3{/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2041{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2052{/td}
{td=bottom|right}3{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2062{/td}
{td=bottom|right}3{/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2042{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2053{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2063{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2{/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2043{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2054{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2044{/td}
{td=bottom|right}1{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2055{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2045{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2056{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2046{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2057{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2047{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2058{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2048{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2{/td}
{td=bottom|right}2059{/td}
{td=bottom|right}4{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr=@x21}
{td=bottom|right}2049{/td}
{td=bottom|right}3{/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{td=bottom} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]
While I do agree winning the league doesn't have many perks, being a 4-seed type team year after year is pretty risky. One-seeds are in a pretty bad drought though too haha.