That is quite strange. I guess you learn something every day.

Well I took the car to Autozone and they told me I had a P0101 code. Supposedly related to the MAF sensor. So I bought a new one and swapped it in. I noticed the old one was also a remaned unit, so its not the first MAF the car has seen (just bought the car with 111,000 miles on it). When I first fired it up the CEL was still on, but went out shortly after I started to drive it. I ran normally. I want to put a few miles on it and see if it dies again unexpectedly like before......keeping my fingers crossed.

So the car racked up around 180miles with the new remaned MAF sensor and then decided to die again. It died a couple more times, then set off a CEL light. Read the code and surprise... P-0101 code was found again. Thinking the MAF is not the issue, but a secondary code because after it dies and wont restart for about 10-15 minutes it runs very rough and then will run normal?

Well the car is still not fixed. Took it to a dealer and they drove it for 3 days and it finaly died. They couldnt get any codes and said "best guess" is a crank sensor. so they threw one in. 12 miles after taking it home it died like before. So a friend of mine had a spare ignition module. Swapped that and it still died like before????

I'm really running out of ideas as to why this is happening. The car seems to die after it hits operating temp and has had a steady cruise near highway speeds.

When it dies does it sputter and then die, or just shut off like a switch was flipped?

like a switch flipped.

This is where having a real time scanner is a huge asset. A lot of problems will cause a car to run rough, but only certain conditions cause a SES to set. I diagnosed my MAF when it went out by watching real time values. I have a "read only if code set" type of scanner, and realized it just wasnt good enough. This is where looking at the values and coming to your own conclusions takes over for the OBD2 "brain".
For instance, if your inlet air temp (IAT) reads 20 degrees on a scanner, but in real world, its closer to 80 out, the OBD2 has no way of knowing it isn't quite right. 80 degrees is still an acceptable value to the parameters of the computer, even if its not right.

Going by what you've said, and my experience with my 04, its tough to make a guess.
Going by the shop manual:
DTC P0101 is set when the PCM detects the actual MAF sensor frequency signal is not within a predetermined range of the calculated MAF value for more than 40 seconds. It illuminates on the second consecutive ignition cycle that the diagnostic runs and fails.
The control module will turn off the SES after 3 consecutive ignition cycles that the diagnostic runs and does not fail.

Suggestions from the manual:
check the MAF harness for possible shorts or opens
check for deposits on throttle plate/bore
check for a vacuum leak downstream of the MAF
check for water in the intake
check for a skewed or stuck ECT sensor or TP sensor

and just looking at what the book has to say otherwise about setting the code, and taking your accounts into their parameters, I would check your coolant temp sensor, watch what its reading and see if it makes sense within the context of the driving,
It also says a skewed MAP sensor will cause the calculated MAF value to be inaccurate and may result in a no start condition.

Hope this helps, FWIW. Good luck!

Mechanic friend drove it with me the other day using his real time scanner to watch certain parameters while driving. Everything seemed ok, before it shut down and wouldn't fire for about 25mins.

One suggestion was a Fuel regulator?

the MAF in the car was a cardon reman. The one I bought new from auto zone was another reman unit from cardon. What are the chances the MAF'* are just junk?

The Cardone one I have in my 04 has been going good for about 6000 miles now.

I doubt the FPR has anything to do with your problem. Its not the type of thing that would cause an intermittent condition. If you doubt it, check the fuel pressure. Pull the vac hose off it and see if you smell gas. If you smell gas, then the diaphragm might be shot. You posted it was like a switch going off. Fuel related issues tend to cause surging, or sputtering.

I'd bet money on the MAP sensor giving you messed up values. Things may look normal while checking the readings, but if you don't know the tables the PCM is using to calculate, and if the MAP value is off, it will set a code. The MAP itself wont set a code, because the values its giving might be within high/low acceptable parameters. But if the information coming back from the MAF doesn't correlate to MAP output, it shuts down. A faulty MAP will cause a no-start. MAF-less cars (speed density) look at the MAP to judge air. Cars using a MAF have the PCM looking at 2 input values to calculate what it needs to. If the two values don't agree with each other, it simply shuts down. If the MAF signal is dropped entirely, the PCM uses the MAP signal alone, and disregards the 0 input from the MAF sensor. But, if the MAF does put out a value, and the MAP doesn't agree, it will not run on the MAF alone and disregard the MAP.

I hate to see you throw parts at the car hoping something will work eventually. You're getting the P0101 for a reason. Start with that. If you were having a fuel or spark related issue, you could go about testing the components. But if you're having a sensor/PCM issue, work through that first.