Terms for subject Slang containing he was a

English	Russian
he has had a good many ups and downs in his life but his wife's leaving him was a body blow	у него много в жизни было чего, но когда от него ушла жена, это был действительно удар (Taras)
we think what he told us was a bum steer	мы думаем, что он нам навешал лапши на уши