This is not meant to exude any sort of arrogance but I am always a little amused at how quickly folks point out to you that being #1 in the preseason or any other poll during the year "does not mean anything" and "all that matters is the final poll" or even "everyone is going to give you their best shot."
Let me just say on behalf of all Tar Heel fans everywhere: We know this. You know why we know it? Because we have been here before. We all remember all those seasons past where UNC either started the season #1 or found themselves there at some point. UNC fans know that being ranked #1 at any point prior to whatever poll comes out the day after the national championship is utterly meaningless. It is nice to look at and you always like seeing that "1" in front of North Carolina on game schedules and scoreboards. But UNC fans are painfully aware, in more ways than we can count, how fleeting #1 can be and it is worth as much as Confederate paper money if you are not standing next to Jim Nantz and Billy Packer following the final game of the season.
As for getting everyone's best shot. UNC always gets everyone's best shot. That is the price paid for being wildly successful in the same sport for 50 years. The point is we know the drill and the truth be told I would rather lurk between two and four in the poll since there seems to be less pressure there.