Ok, I realize that this thread is two years old, but Nevada just linked to it a few days ago. Just by coincidence, I got an email from a member of the FED rules committee. He took some case plays that I sent to him and asked Mary about them.
Mary's answer is that the fumble causes a loss of player control and the player may recover the fumble in midair and land with no violation.
I know that not everyone is enamored with Mary's rulings in the past, but at least this is a definitive answer from somebody at the FED.
Sorry, Tony.
Ok, now Dan can insert his comments about me not being here anymore.