KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Don't bother going to Facebook to check out the latest in the life and times of former Missouri star quarterback Chase Daniel.

"My Facebook name is not under Chase Daniel," Daniel said. "I'm in there under an alias."

Now Twitter, that's another matter. A post there that basically gave the raspberries to those who said Daniel would never spend a day in camp with an NFL team? That was, and is, vintage Daniel.

"Thanks for all the haters, the bashers of me, the nonbelievers," Daniel said this week. "That just fuels the fire. It's been that way my whole life."

Yes, Texas passed on Daniel, a former Southlake (Texas) Carroll High School star. So he went to Mizzou and threw for 12,515 yards and 101 touchdowns and as a junior was a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Even then, he had to grow to an even 6 feet, a minimal measurement that kept Daniel from being taken in an NFL draft that called the names of six Missouri teammates.

Daniel and Missouri teammates Brock Christopher and Tommy Saunders eventually signed NFL free-agent deals. Christopher, cut by Atlanta, has signed on with the New York Jets. Saunders was signed and later released by Detroit.

Daniel, of course, carries the highest free-agent profile.

And for those who doubt that Daniel can catch on with Washington, perhaps as the No. 3 quarterback behind projected starter Jason Campbell and projected No. 2 QB Colt Brennan?

Well, Daniel wanted to thank Washington coach Jim Zorn, himself a former quarterback.

"He must see something in me that all the other NFL teams didn't," Daniel said.

"I'm given a fair shot at winning the No. 3 slot. It's a long process. We probably won't know until the last preseason game because they want four quarterbacks most of camp."

Right now, that other quarterback is Todd Collins, a 14-year NFL veteran who was briefly a Chief.

According to The Washington Post, Daniel's chances of winning a roster slot may be affected by Brennan's ability to beat Collins out for the No. 2 job.

If Brennan — in his second season out of Hawaii — gets the primary backup job, will Washington really want to pay a reported $3 million for Collins to carry a clipboard?

Of course, Washington might be just as concerned about a backup tandem of Brennan-Daniel having virtually no NFL experience .

To those possibilities, Daniel responds with an out-thrust chin and a long-established credo.

"Never quit fighting," Daniel said.

Brennan and Daniel already have a relationship as comrades in passing arms. In Brennan's final year at Hawaii and Daniel's junior season at Missouri, they met as Heisman Trophy finalists in New York and became good friends.

Barely had Daniel signed as an undrafted free agent with Washington when his cell phone signaled delivery of a text message.

It was Brennan, tapping out a welcome: "Hey man! Come on up here."

"It was good knowing someone," Daniel said, "especially in the quarterback room, that you can trust and that can help you."

In Brennan and Daniel, Washington has two of the great quarterbacks of recent college football seasons. And two quarterbacks who were devalued (Brennan was drafted in the sixth round) because of being labeled as spread-offense, system quarterbacks.

"We barely made it here, huh?" Brennan said soon after Daniel's signing. "You'd think for two guys that had that kind of success ..."

Daniel savors the chance some predicted would never come as summer winds down.

Just back from some vacation time in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with friends that included MU offensive lineman Kurtis Gregory, Daniel is preparing to be host to a youth football camp at Southlake Carroll High School on Saturday and Sunday.

He was invited to help coach at former MU teammate Lorenzo Williams' Saturday camp in Springfield, which will feature plenty of former (tight end Martin Rucker) and current (quarterback Blaine Gabbert) MU players.

But Daniel was already committed to his own camp (catchafootball.com).

Next Wednesday, Daniel plans to be on hand for an autograph session in the Kansas City area, at 7 p.m. at Tiger Town in Independence Center.

He's sharing such news on his Twitter page and seemed to take some mischievous satisfaction at sharing that information with reporters.

"The fans can hear directly from me," Daniel said. "Cut out the middle man. Cut out the media. This is actually what I'm saying."

Daniel tries to respond to most of the questions left on his Twitter account, though that sometimes can be he impossible.

"I've got almost 5,000 followers," Daniel said. "I didn't think I was going to get that much. It's an easy way for me to keep up with them and for them to keep up with me."

For Chase Daniel, there remain plenty of believers.