Paul. Welcome to the boards.
The powers that be request that you link to the column being discussed, just to make it easier for people who are reading your reply to read the original column for themselves.
If you’re referring to Cecil’s original column about the origin of O.K., then the link is What does “OK” stand for?
You’re probably referring to his column of today What is leetspeek? wherein he tangentially refers to his previous discussion of O.K.
Could you please list some of the “respected etymologists” who disagree with Cecil’s interpretation? After you do that, I’ll try to list some other respected etymologist who agree with Cecil and Allen Walker Read.
If the theory is “largely discredited,” I was probably asleep in that seminar. I’ll admit to being a rather “newbie” word maven, but am always willing to learn. And I’ve been proven wrong regulary.