I remember having the term "Tar Heel" explained by none other than a vaunted, and revered, former Marshall History professor, Dr. Charles Moffat. Moffat, a native Mississippian with a deep, deep southern drawl, taught a course on the history of the American South, among others. He explained that North Carolina was economically a notch below its neighbor, South Carolina, for decades preceding the Civil War. As a result, there was a significant segment of the Palmetto State "aristocracy", primarily in the Charleston region, that looked down on their Northern neighbors. According to Moffat, the term "tar heel" was a derogatory term used by this aristocracy to describe many in North Carolina, whom they considered uneducated, lower class commoners.
And as for all the transgressions that have, or allegedly have, occurred at "pristine" UNC, I guess many of you have not yet heard the news. The NCAA has looked long and deep into the situation at UNC, including the academic fraud, and today took the stern and severe steps of . . . . . . . . yes, putting mighty Georgia Southern on TWO YEARS PROBATION!! That will show those upstart G5 school that the NCAA's enforcement division means business when it comes to all those shenanigans and violations occurring at "Power Schools"!!!! (And no doubt make people like Zilla very, very happy!!),