I mentioned the ether theory in physics as an analogue to Sapir-Whorf,
because it was a reasonable theory with some seeming explanatory power,
employed by highly intelligent and honest scientists, that was blown out of the water by a subsequent elegant, ground-breaking theory. The difference is that, while no physicist would argue for the ether theory as if Einstein never happened
for a slightly different take on this attack on the ether see:
http://members.tripod.com/~Chernobill/einstein/ae_ether.htm
les schaffer