Just Good Friends

Although some contestants say they genuinelywondered whether sparks would fly, none of thoseinterviewed hit it off romantically with theirdates.

"I was thinking that maybe I'll meet someone,we'll really like each other, maybe something willdevelop," Redmond says. But she says she and herdate James P. McFadden '01, who like, Redmond, isalso a Crimson editor, ultimately had differentinterests.

"Jim was very nice, but his favorite pop artistis Frank Sinatra," she says. "He's going to makesome female a great date and a great husband--justnot me."

McFadden agrees.

"No romantic spark, just a good friendlyevening," he says. But he adds that he had no realexpectations for the evening.

"I just wanted to meet someone who was normaland could have a good conversation," McFaddensays.

While it might seem counter to the games'romantic intentions, some of the winning couplesdecided to double date. Redmond and McFadden wentto the Cheesecake Factory with another Pfohocouple, Kim and Rachel L. Brown '01.

Kim says he and Brown liked one another buthave no plans to go out again.

"I wasn't expecting much--it's a contrivedgame," Kim says.

The stakes were higher for Debayle and herdate, Sam R. Hornblower '02, who met in front ofmore than half of the first-year class--at least800 people, Debayle says.

Hornblower, hair slicked back and decked out inan Armani suit hastily borrowed from a neighbor,chose Debayle unseen from at least 50 contestants,to the shock of Debayle's friends.

"I was pretty embarrassed, especially at theend when people were making fun of my answers,"she says.

The pair actually met before in the Yard MailCenter, she says, but they had never talkedextensively.

"He's an interesting guy," Debayle says. "Ithought, `I'm pretty normal compared to you.' Buthe was cute."