Awhile back, I posted an ESPN spokesman's warning that fans would not be able to get hold of someone else's log-in and password to pick up ESPN360.com's exclusive coverage of the N.C. State-Maryland football game tomorrow. (ESPN360's live streaming is available only to customers of certain Internet service providers, such as AT&T and Verizon. Time Warner doesn't have it.)

But the word is some fans have tried that, and it's working.

Here's exactly what Paul Melvin of ESPN told me:

"As for the passwords, it's not a case of sharing a password and logging in. The user is detected based upon who their ISP is for the computer they are using. If you are accessing ESPN360.com from a computer that is served by an affiliated ISP, the person would have access. If they access it via a connection from a non-affiliated ISP, they would receive a message that their ISP does not provide access."

For whatever that's worth.

If I get more info., I'll pass it along.

ESPN360.com is offering exclusive live coverage of one more ACC football game this season — Duke at Wake Forest at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1. The N.C. State-Maryland game tomorrow also will be shown only on ESPN360.com, which is available from certain Internet service providers, including AT&T and Verizon.

Time Warner doesn't have it yet, but the company likes the service and may eventually work out a deal to add it to Roadrunner. Meanwhile, a few area sports bars are planning to hook up ESPN360 to their big screens tomorrow to show the State game, and anyone on campus with a .edu e-mail address can get it.

ESPN360.com is touting its exclusive rights to the N.C. State-Maryland football game this Saturday, meaning that you can view it live if you have the right Internet Service Provider. such as AT&T or Verizon. Unfortunately, Time Warner isn't on the list yet, but ESPN spokesman Paul Melvin says the sports cable television network is in "active discussions" with Time Warner, Comcast and other ISPs.

Meanwhile, anyone on campus with an e-mail address ending in .edu should be able to get the live streaming. The BrickHouse (formerly Playmakers) on Hillsborough Street across from Meredith College confirms it will show the game, through ESPN360.com, on two eight-foot screens (it's working on more), and The Upper Deck on East Whitaker Mill Road also is planning to have it. Another option might be Woody's @ City Market.

Sorry, message boarders. Melvin says the idea of a generous Wolfpack fan passing around a log-in and password that others can use won't work.

This is an example of the latest frontier for delivery that ESPN hopes to conquer.

"We've seen our distribution grow about 41 percent in the past year (17 million to slightly more than 24 million), and it has tripled in the past two years," Melvin said in an e-mail message, adding that total hours viewed last month were up 392 percent over September 2007, and ESPN, which says it's treating 360 like another TV channel, is finding that viewers are willing to stick with the live streaming.

Kirk Sporman of The BrickHouse says the quality is good, though he's heard complaints about the unavailability of 360 on Time Warner.

ESPN360.com has its pick of whatever ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU don't take. More to come on games of area interest to be offered. Here's a sampling of other coverage:

• NBA, Euroleague, and NCAA basketball (1,000+ men's and women's college basketball games scheduled this season)
• MLB games, NCAA baseball and softball, World Baseball Classic, Little League World Series and Global Baseball (Mexican, Venezuelan, Dominican, Israeli)
• NCAA football (300-plus games this season) and Arena Football League
• Soccer (UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup events, MLS, UEFA EURO, Italian Serie A, Portuguese Liga Sagres, Chinese Super League, Russian Premiere League, U.S. National team, select individual international matches)
• Tennis (including multi-court coverage of all four Grand Slam events and WTA Tour events)
• College hockey and lacrosse
• Rugby
• Cricket
• NASCAR (Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series)
• Open-wheel racing
• Major League Lacrosse
• Professional racquetball
• Polo (Argentinian)