You wouldn't think that wrestler "Nature Boy" Ric Flair would have the answers to many, or any, of life's great mysteries. But sometimes wisdom comes from the most uncanny of places.

The Nature Boy has always told us that "To be the man, you've gotta beat the man. Whoooo" And he's right.

Being the best is important. Being the best is worth putting on a silly looking outfit and groping around all sweaty in the wrestling ring. Being the best is worth the blood, sweat and tears it takes to get there.

So once again, we put the best up for a vote (they don't let us wrestle around here). News-Sentinel readers selected their favorites in 100 categories to bestow the title of East Tennessee's Best to businesses, organizations and individuals throughout the region. More than 5,000 ballots were counted to come up with the winners.

Everyone who voted in at least half the categories was entered in our cash prize drawing.

Grand prize winner Pam Hanna of Fountain City sailed away with a weeklong cruise.

The $750 prize went to Sam Brooks of South Knoxville. The $500 prize went to Tony Calandro of Fountain City. Winning the $250 prize was an online entry, Tori Green of Karns.

The East Tennessee's Best Readers Poll is divided into three categories: Dining & Food, Shopping & Services and Pastimes.

One category — Best Category We Missed — doesn't have a winner. Instead, we've listed the top reader suggestions of things that should be included on next year's ballot.

The other 99 categories include a list of runners-up. Most categories have two runners-up, while a few only have one. Only those with a significant amount of votes made the list. The runners-up are listed in the order of the number of votes received.

East Tennessee's Best winners and runners-up were honored on Oct. 10 with an awards banquet at the Knoxville Convention Center.