1.) In order to judge the REA (whether in a good way or bad), you have to compare it to other places. Having a blind eye about other places gives a reason to have a blind eye for the downsides of REA.
2.) I've been to more than I've mentioned, but there's no need. Every stadium/arena has a had an event or two in it's history where fans did it right. It's a matter of consistency. If the fans can't be consistently loud, it doesn't matter how potentially loud they could be. Being "capable" of being loud doesn't mean ANYTHING.
3.) Again, here's the blind eye again...Shouldn't one of the greatest NCAA hockey teams of history, with no other major sport, have one of the best fan bases around? Yeah, there are a ton of Sioux fans, that's awesome. But to have so many great fans, but have 90% be quiet, that's disappointing.
4.) Of course there are going to be "times" when the place is nuts, it's the consistency again. The "times" are few and far between. If you go to some of the best home crowds, it don't matter who or when the team is playing, the place is guaranteed to be crazy.
5.) I'll give you this comment, but don't assume your opinions are better than mine, because they are not.
6.) Fans shouldn't need a reason to get fired up other than the team is on the ice. That should be when the crowd gets fired up. It shouldn't take a goal or something great to happen to make it loud. It should be loud, then get crazy when something happens. The best fans at top places are loud during all parts, always chanting, always doing something to keep the energy level up.