good morning. francis and his flock. tens of thousands of cubans line the streets for pope francis, as his historic visit gets underway. the pontiff praising the new relationship between cuba and the u.s., and telling nbc news he can't wait to meet the people of the united states. we are live in cuba. no apologies. after a rare 24-hours of silence, donald trump speaking out. defending himself for not correcting a supporter who called president obama a muslim. >> for the first time in my life, i got in trouble by not saying anything. >> why trump says he was in a no-win situation. plea of innocence. >> all i have to say is i'm the wrong guy. i tried telling detectives that. >> the man accused of

terrorizing drivers on the streets of arizona says his weapon was in the pawnshop. will his defense fly, and are there other shooters out there? and remembering jackie collins. the best-selling romance novelist dead at the age of 77 after a secret six-year battle with cancer. her diagnosis not revealed, even appearing on a tv show two weeks ago with no mention of the private battle. we'll look at her life today, sunday, september 20th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm craig, alongside of sheinelle jones and dillylan dreyer. in case you missed it last night, this was the end of the ole miss-alabama game. before this, alabama, number two in the country.

the football gods on ole miss's side. that's how the game ended. >> this is a big rivalries in sec. >> that was third quarter. >> this is a big rivalry, as we know. you all know at home that i don't know a lot about football. i was reading up on this this morning. back-to-back wins for ole miss, right? >> yes. >> the record was 25-1 in alabama's favor for these matchups. >> folks are saying this is the best they've had. >> i'm feeling like something weird is going on with football. it's been exciting ends to the game, weird catches in nine seconds. >> which is great. it keeps you in there. >> the beauty of college football. >> get to more college football in a bit. let's get to the top story and that, of course, is the start of pope francis' historic visit to cuba and the united states. he has a packed agenda every day of his trip. thousands are already turning out to see him this morning. nbc's anne thompson is traveling with the pope. she's in havana. good morning. >> reporter: good morning,

craig. up to 1.5 million people are expected here in revolution square, as pope francis celebrates mass this morning. the first big event on a trip that will take him to the united states later this week. pope francis brought his message of peace to havana, only to be welcomed by a military salute. peace was on his mind during the nearly 12-hour flight from rome. the world is thirsty for peace, he told reporters, and got emotional recalling a syrian refugee family waving good-bye to him. he could see the pain of war on their faces. on the plane, i asked francis what he is most curious about the united states. the people, he said. i want to meet the people. some americans couldn't wait. and joined 100,000 cubans on

havana streets to welcome the pope. >> it's just so exciting, and look, i have goose bumps. it's crazy. >> reporter: comparing the magical moment captured on smartphones. in havana, the pope praised the new relationship between cuba and the u.s. that he helped broker, calling it a victory for encounter and dialogue. miami archbishop was one of those on the street to cheer the pope. >> he helped build bridges between cuba and the united states, and between united states and all of latin america. i think it's up to the rest of us to do our share. >> reporter: now, both the vatican and the obama administration want the u.s. embargo against cuba, which is 54 years old, lifted, but that decision is up to congress. craig? >> anne thompson for us in havana. thank you. turning now to the campaign trail. donald trump finally breaking his silence last night after coming under fire for not

correcting a supporter who made disparaging comments about obama and muslims. >> reporter: good morning. for the first time, we're hearing from donald trump after his most recent controversy, and true to form, he is unapologetic, defending what he didn't say. accused by his rivals of being self-amoric, this weekend, donald trump hung with high schoolers at homecoming. >> give me five. >> reporter: even here, he couldn't escape his latest controversy. >> would i consider putting a muslim american in my cabinet? absolutely no problem with that. >> reporter: the question coming after trump didn't denounce a supporter last week who called muslims a problem, and incorrectly claimed president obama is not christian or a u.s. citizen. now, trump is finally breaking his silence by noting he rarely is. >> for the first time in my life, i got in trouble by not

saying anything. i didn't say anything. >> reporter: trump defending himself by reading a series of his tweets out loud. >> a no-win situation. am i morally obligated to defend the president? christians, that's all of us, need support. >> reporter: the candidate trying to shift the conversation to religious liberties, a key issue in iowa. >> i brought my bible. >> reporter: in hopes of widening his lead in the state over ben carson and ted cruz, who was asked about the controversy. >> the president's faith is between him and god. >> reporter: trump, still leading the republican race nationally, coming under fire from democrats. >> he's been trafficking in prejudice and paranoia throughout this campaign. >> reporter: hillary clinton with her supporters at a convention in a state where she trails bernie sanders. >> we're going to win because there are more of us than billionaires. >> reporter: there's still a wild card in the democratic

race. vice president joe biden. a recent poll suggests if he does not decide to run, clinton may benefit more than sanders, at least initially. remember, biden has not made a decision, and it's not clear if he'll announce before or after the first democratic debate on october 13th. >> speculation continues. nice to see you this morning. thanks. krchuck todd, good morning you, sir. >> good morning. >> you have donald trump on the show this morning. again, he's not aspologizing fo refusing to correct the man at the town hall. didn't apologize when he questioned john mccain being a war hero. didn't appear to have a measurable impact on his first runner status. any reason to think this is different? >> no, there isn't. the proof of what you laid out is proof of why it won't be different. the people supporting him, in many ways, are with him because he is unapologetic.

he does sort of verbalize thought bubbles, or somebody said, what people yell at their tvs. he says it in public, and that's why they're attracted to him. i think, to me, if you take this week at a whole, what we learned is, number one, you have a republican field that's very comfortable going after him, and i think that that had an impact on trump a little bit. none of these controversies help him expand his support base. at some point, are aren't going to be 15 candidates, and 25% or 30% is a winner number when it's down to two or three. >> let's go to joe biden. the first democratic debate, three weeks ago. is that the drop dead date for the vice president to get in this thing? >> if he wants to be the nominee, it is. look, technically, the drop dead date is november 5th, actually, because november 6th is the first filing deadline for any presidential primary in the

democratic side. that happens to be alabama, if anybody is wondering. if he wants to win, he needs to do it by the end of the month. my own reporting, there's a couple things. he's been traveling the country meeting with a lot of democratic leaders. the message he's been telling them is hewants to run. there's room for him to run. by the way, his wife is on board. this is an idea of joe biden, she's hesitant of him running, it's not true. he has to decide whether he has what it takes emotionally to do this. he's hinting to people he knows, he's better off deciding by october rather than november. >> two of your other guests will be john kasich and dr. ben carson. sad news to share this morning. best selling author, jackie collins, has died after a lengthy battle with breast cancer, a battle she kept secret from the world. sheinelle has more on her life and legacy for us this morning. >> yes.

jackie collins was diagnosed six and a half years ago but chose to keep her illness almost to herself. confiding mostly in her children and writing novels up until the very end. jackie collins was born in london, but spent most of her life in the united states. she and her older sister acted in british b movies. she gave up acting in the 1960s, finding stardom as a writer. she'd go on to write more than 30 best sellers over four decades, filled with racy plot lines, including "hollywood wiv wives." collins spoke to matt lauer about the appeal of her characters. >> i've always written strong women, and i think it's one of the secrets of my success. women love my characters. >> reporter: collins remained in the spotlight until the end, looking happy and healthy a week and a half ago.

>> women should do every they want to before they get married. then they're not sitting there thinking, what did i miss? >> reporter: she kept her breast cancer diagnosis a secret. but in a interview last week, she said, quote, i've written five books since the diagnosis, lived my life, traveled all over the world, have not turned down book tours and no one has known until now, when i feel i should come out with it. now, i want to save other people's lives. a trailblazing powerhouse of a woman, she lived her life like the characters she wrote about. >> i want to do it my way. if you don't like it, tough. i like women like that. >> jackie collins was 77. her final book was published last june. private memorial services will be in the united states and native england. >> sad day. thank you. let's turn now to this, the man who police say is responsible for terrorizing drivers along arizona's highways

says he didn't do it. the 21-year-old went before a judge saturday and claimed he didn't have access to a gun. nbc remains on the story for us. >> reporter: good morning, craig. this was the first time we got an up close look at the suspects i-10 shooter. in court, he seemed incredulous, telling the judge he has nothing to do with the shootings. now, the suspect, the 21-year-old, is a local landscaper. he's facing a slew of charges, including drive-by shootings, as well as intentional acts of terrorism, among others. his bail has been set at $1 million. investigators say they have linked him to the gun that was used in four of these shootings through ballistic reports. a merit in court told the judge they had the wrong guy. he says he hasn't had this gun in months. >> all i have to say is i'm the

wrong guy. i tried telling detectives that. my gun has been in the pawnshop for the last two months. i haven't had access to a weapon. i could never afford that bond. i have two kids, you know? >> when we asked about his defense, asked about the claim that he has not had that gun in two months, investigators would not comment. all they're saying is he is linked to the gun that was used in at least four of these shootings. again, it's a reminder here, we're talking about four shootings of 11 shootings. that means there are still seven shootings out there that remain unsolved. investigators have talked about the possibility of copycat shooters. they're encouraging everyone to remain vigilant and call in any tips along i-10. >> gadi, thank you. a deadly incident in the migrant crisis overseas. sheinelle has more. >> officials say 13 migrants are dead after their boat collided with a ferry off turkey this morning. this, as another rescue was

underway near greece, where a boat sank overnight, with 26 refugees missing. there was a crush along syria's border, with crowds fighting to board a train to the hungarian border. officials in northern california say the destruction from two massive, deadly wildfires tops 1,000 homes. the announcement comes as two new fires broke out along the central coast saturday. hundreds of homes are in danger, and some mandatory evacuations are under way. a zookeeper was killed by a tiger inside a zoo this morning. the woman was attacked in the animal's enclosure while the zoo was open. visitors were asked to leave, and the tiger has been contained. police have obtained eye-witness video of a woman going over niagara falls. the woman intentionally entered the water saturday night. rescuers spent about two hours searching, but she has not been found. it was a dangerous day on the waters for boaters in two states. in texas, good samaritans

rescued three adults and a young boy on a yacht that burst into flames. in maryland, sisters were hurt after their boat exploded minutes after launch. south dakota, authorities are assessing environmental damage after seven ethanol tanker cars derailed, with at least one catching fire. no one was injured. to sports and a spot on the pga tour. the player from south korea holed an eagle putt from 40 yards out. it's the longest putt made in a non-major tournament since 2003. >> i golfed yesterday and had a shot just like it. it just wasn't on camera. >> way to provide inspiration for the other golfers. >> for folks playing golf today, what is it looking like? >> it's cool. did you notice haley had on the

scarf? we have that watch out for a tropical low that will pump in moisture. along the west coast itself, that's where things are starting to turn around. we'll done with the cool down. temperatures will be hot, warming up to i am first alert meteorologist, brittney shipp. as we head into the rest of today, our temperatures are cooler than what we saw yesterday, ranging between 74 and 78. less humidity and becoming sunny as we head into the afternoon, and our wind direction shifted and cooler air is coming in from the north. we will start the workweek off on the cooler side, temperatures in the mid-70s and then warm back up to 80 degrees for the first day of fall on wednesday, and then temperatures back in the mid-70s by next weekend. >> that's your latest forecast. >> thank you. you cannot watch a game these days without seeing one of these commercials for big bucks. fantasy sports betting, could it make you rich?

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what a pity. if it's sunday, it's "meet the press" and football. for football fans everywhere, it is the day they root for their favorite nfl teams. >> some people are looking for more than a win from the home team. they're dreaming of striking gold by playing fantasy sports online. is it gambling, or harmless fun? gadi took a look. >> reporter: the odds are, you've seen them. during any game, any time, all those fantasy ads, portioning quick money and a chance to coach your own team from your home or the gym. >> my sister traded you for cam newton. >> reporter: deciding who to start based not on what team is playing but how well individual players are we are forming. >> you can pick from all the players. >> reporter: popular websites like draft kings are raising the

stakes. >> if i can put in $3, i can win up to $5,000. >> reporter: according to the fantasy sports trade association, 42 million adults in the u.s. and canada played fantasy sports this year, spending on average $465 a year. it's more than $19 billion. putting money on sports is illegal in most states, but fantasy websites are exempted because it's not based on luck. >> it is not gambling. it is clearly a game of skill. it's something that people spend hours researching. it's part of the entertainment value, and it leads to better outcomes. >> reporter: advocates for legalizing traditional sports betting are trying foul. >> when they went to congress, they said it wasn't going to be gambling. i think it's clear with million dollar jackpots and the advertising that goes on, that this is straight out gambling. >> reporter: he's calling for a congressional review to examine the laws. in the meantime, fantasy play is

booming for real, with buy-ins from nfl owners, the nba and mlb, and media companies like our own nbc sports. all betting that becoming an armchair owner is how fans want to get in the game. gadi, nbc news. some pay out $75 million every week. >> crazy. >> this is different from the innocent fantasy we play. >> it's not your average fantasy football. >> right. this is weekly, too. you're picking players every week. >> it's amazing, the number of commercials for that that are on now. it's all i see. still to come, the one reason why these people don't mind waiting in line for up to seven hours. seven hours. it's not a "today" show make tonight white dchicken chili night!? start with bush's white chili beans, simmered in our flavorful chili sauce. then add rotisserie chicken... punch it up with a little heat...

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still to come, who will take home an emmy tonight? the competition is fierce from the comedies to the dramas. many hoping it may finally be john hamm's year to win. a little redemption. little music with yo-yo ma. moms know their family's mouths often need a helping hand. after brushing, listerine® total care helps prevent cavities, strengthens teeth and restores tooth enamel. it's an easy way to give listerine® total care to the total family. listerine® total care. one bottle, six benefits. power to your mouth™. and for kids starting at age six, listerine® smart rinse delivers extra cavity protection after brushi. when it helps giveshot ma lifesaving vaccine to a child in need in a developing country.

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i am rosemary connors. it's a few minutes before 8:30 on this sunday. cloudy out there to wrap up our weekend. let's get a check of the forecast now with meteorologist, brittney shipp. >> cloudy start but as we head into the afternoon we'll see lots of sunshine and a cold front will move through, and you can see the wind blowing and that's in association with the cold front and as we head through the rest of the day, our temperatures staying in the mid to high 70s. our city planner shows that our temperatures will warm to 75 by 1:00 p.m., and 78 by 4:00 p.m. let's take a live look at the ben franklin parkway. a large portion is closed for the week, and crews are preparing for the world meeting of families and the papal visit, and parking restrictions in the area will go into effect and be enforced tonight at 6:00. let's head to south philly

where we get a look inside the linc. the birds play their home opener against the cowboys at 4:25. we will have exclusive pregame and postgame coverage. watch our game day kickoff this morning at 10:00, and you will here from zach ertz and carli lloyd. brittney and i will see you back here in 30 minutes at 9:00. now back to the "today" show. have a good one. ♪ with the name the philadelphia region has trusted for over 75 years, you have the compassion and security of blue cross.

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she's a character that women love because she's just strong. >> you said she's your alter ego. >> she is, but i'd love to see her played by angelina jolie. >> you're light. angelina is the perfect -- >> she's done it all. she's been there, done that. she's had two different lives. >> that is jackie collins. just a week and a half ago on a british television show. she never mentioned she had cancer or she'd been battling it for six and a half years. the 77-year-old author died saturday. she continued to write novels apparently until the very end. >> five novels written after her diagnosis. incredible. so many of her friends and fellow celebrities expressing their grief. elizabeth hurley tweeting out, she was a lovely, very special

woman. larry king, i'm shock and had saddened by jackie collins' passing. she was a true talent, beautiful being and dear friend. sandra bullock wrote, that smart, talented, gorgeous woman paved the road for so many of us. heaven, watch out. >> that's nice. >> apparently, she was a high school dropout, and the critics weren't always kind to her, but readers were. 500 million books sold. >> yeah. lots of other headlines. the 20th of september, 2015, a live look from havana, where pope francis' historic trip to the united states and cuba is now officially underway. the pope holding a mass today. he'll meet with cuba's president later. the pope offering a message of hope and peace with him on that visit. the man charged with four of the shootings along arizona's highway says now police have the wrong guy. 21-year-old leslie allen merritt claims the gun police say he used has been in the pawnshop

for two months. people are safe after a fire erupted on a yacht. a good samaritan and fellow boater is praised for helping get the people to safety. we begin this half hour with the big night ahead for tv's best and brightest. the emmys will be handed out, and there is plenty of talk about who should go home with the golden statue. the cries are loud for one "mad men" star to final get his due. >> reporter: as the stars get set, the drama is surrounding the dramas. >> i would clap. >> reporter: best dramatic series is a two-horse race. >> i think it's going to come down to just two, "mad men" and "game of thrones." i think "mad men" will win, simply because this was the last season on amc. >> reporter: although it's required plenty of patience, many feel after seven nominations and no wins, that

last season sentimentality could push "mad men"'s john hamm over the top. >> people assume john ha mamm w win. >> reporter: taraji p. henson left many speechless. the court of public opinion is with viola davis. >> refusing to hear the testimony. >> how great is this, huh in? >> convenient. >> like i'm in the room with you guys. >> reporter: then there's brilliance to be honored. >> i think "modern family" will win, but i think "veeb" should win. >> reporter: even if "modern family" bests "veeb," julia seems to be the favorite for female actress. >> i'm looking at you but shaking someone else's hand. >> reporter: as for male lead in

a comedy, jeffrey tambor is the favorite for his portrayal of a transwoman. we'll see if david letterman or jon stewart will get a chance to see good-bye in style. >> i'm going to get a drink. >> with so many shows and broader content, some are saying this is the new golden age of television. one thing is for certain, a little golden statue is what everyone is dreaming of holding tonight. nbc news, los angeles. apparently, so many people want john hamm to win. one fellow actor started a twitter campaign. >> we're talking about an emmy-winner himself. he's a fan of john hamm's and taken to twitter to get support. it started with this tweet, it's official, today, i start my campaign to get john ha manmm a

emmy. it's time. he followed up with this, hey, i know neither of you are actuall. he asks the question so many have been wondering. sweeting, don draper is an iconic character, amazing construct of the "mad men" writers and jon hamm and never won an emmy? we'll see. this is jon hamm's eighth nomination on "mad men." is it time? >> eight? >> it's great. i know one person who thinks it's time. dylan dreyer, a huge "mad men" fan. >> i think the don draper twitter account has more followers than my account. he's not up against "breaking bad," so there's room for a win. that's where i stand on the whole thing. let's look at the weather across the country. it's going to feel a whole lot cooler than it has recently. chicago, it's only 51 degrees to

start off the morning. high temperatures will get up to 70. fall-like day in the northeast. also going to be cooler than it has been all thanks to the cold front. the front is producing pockets of heavier rain through southern oklahoma. those storms will fizzle out today. out in the southwest, moisture from a tropical low is going to stream in. that'll bring pockets of heavier rain today and tomorrow. temperatures along the coast of california will drop back down into the 80s. it's going to be in the 90s today. the rest of the country, quiet and temperatures i i am first alert meteorologist, brittney shipp. as we head into the rest of today, our temperatures are cooler than what we saw yesterday. less humidity and becoming sunny as we head into the afternoon. our wind direction shifted and cooler air coming in from the north. we start the workweek off on the cooler side, and temperatures in the mid-70s and warm back to 80 degrees for the first day of fall on wednesday, and temperatures drop back to the

mid-70s by next weekend. it's sunday, which means tonight is football night in america. in the audience. i don't know what's going to happen this year. it's a rematch of the n fshs l cha -- nfc championship game from last year. in green bay, it should be 60 degrees, sky clear skies, no chance of rain or snow. it'll get here eventually. >> the frozen tundra will make an appearance several times this season. thanks. coming up next, sunday also means it's time for the sunday stories. this morning, we'll introduce you to the man behind the "diary of the wimpy kid" book. also, harry smith taking us to texas, where the barbecue is so good. people line up for hours. seven hours just to try it. also, a live performance

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back this morning with our first sunday story about a popular author who is branching out, bringing his love of books to the masses. >> for years, the headlines told us independent bookstores were a dying breed, pushed out by big box stores like amazon. today, the story changed, and one man helping to lead the charge on his own opening a new bookstore in his hometown. jeff kinney didn't set out to be a best-selling author, let alone a celebrity. >> you mr. kinney? >> i am, buddy. nice to meet you. >> reporter: his "diary of a wimpy kid" started as a hobby. today, his tales sold more than 150 million copies in 40 country s.

did young kids want to know more? >> when i step into the store, usually one kid spots me, and then it snowballs. >> reporter: the store is an unlikely story, kinney's latest project. 3,000 square feet in the heart of plainville, massachusetts. population, 8,000. >> as an author, you really come to understand how important independent bookstores are. they're a fabric of the community. >> reporter: this store opened in late may, part of a growing trend. since 2009, the number of independent bookstores is up 20%, according to the american book sellers association. do you think we're starting to see a little bit of a revolt in what people want? >> i hope we're seeing a revolt. i know that big box stores changed the landscape, and i shop with them myself. i think that there is a real need for something different. something that has a flavor that's unique to that community. >> reporter: built on the side of a former general store, by the time kinney and his wife

bought the building, years of vacancy had taken their toll. they raised the structure, building a replica in its place. >> everything that was -- that's on the walls was signs that were on the front of the building over time. >> reporter: the hope is that an unlikely story will be an anchor for the community, boosting business downtown and offering the community a space to gather. >> seven long years later -- it's nice to see a little life come back into the end of town. >> the first piece of puzzle, to bring an area, rejuvenate an area. >> reporter: all these books are flying above us. >> these are the enchanted books. if you follow their trail, you'll follow he them to the harry potter replica broom, quidditch match. >> reporter: while it'll be kinney's work space, it's not only for him. >> the kids can go into the studio when i'm not there, and they'll be able to sit at my desk and draw on my computer.

i do everything on a tablet. >> reporter: you'll let them use your stuff? >> absolutely. >> reporter: not worrying about it getting broken in? >> we'll fix it. >> reporter: all part of the author's plan to share his good fortune with those who helped him find success. >> i hope kids will come and pick up a book they wouldn't have discovered otherwise, and it'll change their lives and set them on the path like a book did for me. >> jeff kinney's tenth book, "old school," will be released in 90 countries on november 3rd. he was a month behind schedule, but he'll have it on schedule. he is like the loveliest, nicest man ever. my son is obsessed with his books, and my son wanted to write him a note. i gave it to him, and he said, can i send him a note home? >> fantastic. >> it's a great store. check it out. >> love that.

let's go to dylan in the orange room. she has the plaza fan of the day. >> good morning, guys. i swear this sign has nothing to do with why janet and carol made it into the orange room today. you're teachers, and i know you're catching a train in a couple hours. >> we are. >> i'll let you take us to commercial. >> still to come on "today," a performance live from yo-yo ma, here in the studio. but first, these messages. you've gotta make better choices, jane! farewell, cookie dough ice cream. what's that you're drinking? it's trop50. it's fine. it tastes delicious and has 50% less calories. with this taste? no way. give me fifty squats. but... it can't taste this good... read the label. ...and have 50% less calories? exactly, now you drop... and give me the 50. trop50. tastes so good you won't believe it has 50% less calories.

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>> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today," brought by to toyota. >> nothing like getting your sunday started with beautiful music. >> yo-yo ma is here to perform his new song. such a treat and honor to have you with us. the entire studio is excited about it. >> i'm excited to be here. anna and i are excited because we're playing actually for the first time. >> this is the first time you played together? >> yeah. >> which is impressive. the album, "ark of life," is one you put together the pianist t kathryn stott. >> absolutely. >> what part of life does this piece speak to?

>> it speaks to all parts of my life because it's a piece called "the swam," and which child is not fascinated by looking at the beautiful swam? then, of course, the swam we know is not always beautiful. if you have a sandwich, they might come and snatch it. beware. also in middle age, or at my age, 59, you know, we'd like a little bit of tranquility, too. >> yeah. >> the swan works hard while looking peaceful because under the water, there's a lot of activity that goes on. >> we'll let you take it away. >> anna, you take it away. ♪

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♪ [ applause ] >> yo-yo ma this morning. thank you. stay with us. we'll be right (woman) you want to eat... ...you want to eat, who wants to eat... (dog) do i want to eat? yes, i want to eat. (woman) do you want to eat? (dog) do i want to eat, yes. that's like nine times you've asked...yes. i mean it's beneful. i can actually see the meaty chunks and carrots right there...look at it. it's beautiful. mmmmmmm, thank you so much... but you know tomorrow night... ...how 'bout we just assume i do want to eat... ...you know speed things up a little. (vo) beneful chopped blends, a healthy blend... ...your dog will love. made with real beef. plus carrots and barley that you can see. beneful. healthy with a side of happy.

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this morning on sundays with harry, a trip to what could possibly be the best barbecue joint anywhere. don't send out to twitter yet.

>> if the lines outside are any indication, they might be right. here's harry smith. >> reporter: ever since humans have been making fire, chbwhich a long time now, they've been in pursuit of one thing, the perfect brisket. >> cook s meat with it. >> reporter: the quest has been completed at franklin's barbecue in austin, texas. why else would people line up at 5:00 in the morning to make sure they get inside for lunch in they do do that, every day. this is all aaron franklin's fault. >> there's a lot of love that goes into barbecue. there's technique, but with barbecue, whatever you put into it is what you'll get out of it. >> reporter: the one-time rock musician turned barbecuer started cooking in his backyard. he learned people would pay him to do this, so he and his wife tracy opened a trailer, which

turned into this. >> awesome. >> reporter: a mecca for barbecue lovers. they come and eat. they're happy. >> i've eaten barbecue from kansas city to st. louis, memphis, georgia, south carolina to south dakonorth carolina and this is the best barbecue i've ever had. >> reporter: here's the part that will make you crazy, franklin swears there are no secrets. >> that's the fun thing about barbecue. it's all trial and error. it's typically been one of those things where it's passed down from generation to generation. some old-timer cooks this way and teaches his son and grandson, and it goes like this. me, i just figured it out in the backyard. >> reporter: great fire, good meat, little seasoning, a recipe that impressed the awards to name aaron the best chef in the southwest. yeah, brisket beat the best cuisines in houston and dallas. >> we went up to the awards and, turns out, i won the darn thing. real shocker.

it's pretty big for barbecue. huge for me. it's a big barbecue thing. no one in barbecue has been nominated for that award. i'm no chef. i make barbecue. >> reporter: meet eric, who has been here 70 times. people would say you're nuts to stand in line for hours to get food. >> they don't want to be happy, is what i think. >> reporter: we got to franklin's at 5:00. didn't taste a bite until about noon. >> i get it. >> cool. >> i get it. >> people want to have good food. doesn't matter where it comes from. doesn't matter if it's fine dining restaurant, some guy cooking barbecue under a shady oak tree. good food is good food and, you know, a little bit of hard work and a lot of heart and soul can get you a long way in this thing. >> reporter: for "today," harry smith, austin, texas. >> this is a big deal, not just

because we're eating the brisket with yo-yo ma on our set, but harry smith, they don't send this brisket out. you cannot mail order this. he brought it back in a bag with specific instructions on how it is to be cooked. clearly, they were followed to a tee. it's amazing. >> it's good. >> what's happening to this afterwards? >> exactly. >> we need to have the security camera on you? >> this is fantastic. >> it's good when you don't need any sauce or anything. it speaks for itself. >> crispy fat on the end. it melts in your mouth. it's amazing. >> thank you, harry. >> can we add this to a field trip list in? >> people wait in line for seven hours. >> tune into "meet the press" this morning. donald trump will be joining chuck on the show. >> that will do it for us on a sunday morning. >> remember that time we had brisket with yo-yo ma? >> it was a good day, wasn't snit. >> yeah. >> when yo-yo ma came for

right now history is being made. here is a live look at havana, cuba, where pope francis is celebrating mass this morning. we will come back this to picture in just a moment, but first a special message from pope francis to philadelphia. >> see you in philadelphia. >> he may be in cuba right now, but pope francis is excited about coming to our city. in south philly today, it's game day, and the eagles getting ready to take on the divisional rivals, the cowboys. a cold front is moving in and it