I guess the answer is "it depends."
I can see the "oddballs" concern but I've dealt with a dozen agencies that don't require an in-person meeting. Sometimes the first time I see the recruiter/account manager in person is at the client site for the interview; usually, it's the first day I start and they meet me to give me more details on pay, etc.
Re: references -- Yeah, as a reference for former co-workers, I f'ing hate it when I get pinged 3x a week for several weeks in a row.
I think I'm going to walk. If the job was interesting and the pay outstanding, I'd consider it. The commute sucks, however, and the recruiter's office is downtown and, hell, I'm FI.
Thanks, all. Cheers.